Leadership news

12.01.15

MONDAY

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

No. 2,325

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Hebdo Attack: Nigeria Must Chibok Diary DAY 273 Charlie Learn From France – BBOG Group Conference/Awards: Ibrahim Gambari To Deliver Lecture

> Page 2

By CHIKA OTUCHIKERE, Abuja

Former minister of external affairs, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, will be the guest lecturer in the

forthcoming LEADERSHIP Conference/Awards 2014.

Gambari, a top official of the United Nations, is to deliver

a lecture on the theme of the conference, ‘Reclaiming

Shell Appoints Osagie Okunbor New MD In Nigeria > Page 15

Nigeria: A Pathway.’

According to the LEADERSHIP’s management, the event which holds on ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 5

money laundering

2 Indian Firms Use Names Of First Lady, Governors 5

WORLD LEADERS UNITE FOR MEDIA L-R: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Donald Tusk, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and King Abdullah of Jordan and Queen Rania Al Abdullahas, when they attended the solidarity march through the streets of Paris, yesterday.

Photo by afp

Again, Female Suicide Bombers Strike, Kill 10 In Yobe Market > Page 5

2

chibok diary 273

Monday, January 12, 2015

DAY

Chibok TweeTs @ad_Vassilli Will #GEJ & Govt match for #ChibokiGirls over 230days&counting?

They'll rather clamp on #BringBackOurGirls #IamBaga @ZaraChiron #JesuisCharlie and we are all bloody hypocrites. Who gets to decide which lives are worth standing in solidarity over? #BringBackOurGirls

Mother of one of the abducted Chibok girls being consoled by a member of the #BringBackourGirls (BBoG) group as she wept bitterly at the Unity fountain in abuja. PHOTO BY DELE

@AishaYesufu I am from the North East and I feel like a failure. I should have come out earlier says a first timer at the #BringBackOurGirls Sit Out

@SegunObasanjo I'm more ashamed about Nigeria celebrities. Same people that carry placards for #BringBackOurGirls have gone to wear uniform to support GEJ.

DAMISA

Charlie Hebdo Attack: Nigeria Must Learn From France – BBOG Group

By Chika Mefor and ejike ejike,

Abuja @VictorShikhman The solidarity march in France, unless it comes with policy changes, will be as effective as #BringBackOurGirls. Empty sentiment is nothing. @nursingdean Paris March don't forget #BringBackOurGirls let's hope France leads the world in standing up

The #BringBackOurGirls group yesterday, implored the Nigerian government to learn from the situation in France where about 90, 000 police officers were deployed to tackle about four terrorists who had attacked the Charlie Hebdo.

Speaking at the group’s gathering yesterday, a member of the BBOG, Maureen Kabric noted that “the way and manner the French government handled the

Charlie Hebdo terrorists showed how the country value the security and lives of the citizens.

“Imagine the deployment of over 90, 000 policemen to fish out just four terrorists, who had attacked French citizens? In Nigeria, what has our policemen done to curtail insecurity? Nigeria government should learn from the strategic ways France has handled their problem and tackle the Boko Haram insurgency head-on,” she noted.

While reacting to Asari Dokubo’s statement on Chan-

nels TV where he maintained that the Chibok girls issue is a scam as they were never abducted, the group noted that Dokubo’s case has gone beyond the imaginable.

It wondered why Dokubo would doubt the abduction of the Chibok girls even when President Goodluck Jonathan had constituted a committee on this and accepted the fact that these girls were actually abducted.

Also speaking at the daily sit-out of the group, another member of the group, Elvis

Iyorngurum queried Nigeria’s relationship with the world in the face of the current insecurity, which has seen the abduction of school girls in Chibok and the killing and destruction of properties in the country and the seeming aparty of the world.

He however, urged the federal government to liaise with other countries in order to successfully tackle Boko Haram insurgency just like Mali and even South Africa had relied on Nigeria and other countries to tackle their problems in the past.

@EnglishSmarts Let's not forget. 271 days since the kidnapping. #BringBackOurGirls

@Bukkyshonibare Day 272 of abduction 34 days to Presidential Election #BringBackOurGirls

@JJTabane #bringbackourgirls....does anyone even remember? ...

Compiled by Ugochukwu Iroka

Members of the #Bring BackourGirls (BBoG) group advocating for the rescue of the abducted chibok schoolgirls in abuja. PHOTO BY DELE DAMISA

3

our stand Monday, January 12, 2015

The Takeover Of Baga

By Boko Haram

E

arly this month, Boko Haram insurgents attacked Baga town, a fishing community along the banks of Lake Chad, about 250 kilometres from Maiduguri. They succeeded in dislodging the combined troops of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which comprises mainly troops from Nigeria, Chad and Niger. Again last week fighting was reported in Baga, with heavy casualties and the wanton destruction of property. The battle, which raged on throughout the day, saw a well-coordinated attack by the insurgent group, which reportedly came in a large convoy of armoured personnel carriers and Toyota Hilux trucks, some armed with high calibre machine guns and a significant amount of improvised explosive devices.

According to eyewitnesses, some of the insurgents were obviously foreigners, as they could not understand our local languages.

This is indication that they could be from other terrorist groups, such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Al Qaeda or El-Shabab. They destroyed the two MNJTF barracks. The soldiers, who were overwhelmed

by the superior fire power of the enemy forces, had to pull out in disarray. Both sides suffered heavy casualties and hundreds of civilians were killed also, most as they were trying to flee the battle zone.

According to the chief of defence staff, as a result of the incident, the Republic of Niger and Chad have withdrawn their troops from Baga. He, however, maintained that the two countries are still members of the MNJTF. The fall of Baga is a great tragedy and a terrible setback in the war against insurgency. If Boko Haram could overrun an MNJTF base, the threat to the entire sub region is real and huge and

Editor Sadiq Abdullateef Deputy Editor Kazeem Akintunde Editorial Board Safiya M. Adamu, Chairman Christian Ochiama, Deputy Chairman Standards ’Lara Olugbemi, Assistant Director

must be well articulated and understood by all the leaders of the region. In our opinion, it is not strategic for Niger and Chad to withdraw its forces, because this is a regional challenge that needs be met head on. Already, Nigeria and now Cameroon are fighting a relentless war against Boko Haram. Cameroon is reported to have ordered the recruitment of 20,000 soldiers. Nigeria should follow suit, and the proper equipping of the soldiers must not be compromised.

We have recently witnessed the ruthless gains of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and ISIL within a short period and today, they occupy substantial parts of both Iraq and Syria. Since they share a common fanatical ideology with Boko Haram, the possibility of close cooperation between the groups is high, further increasing the threat to Nigeria.

For the past five years, this nation has been fighting an atrocious war against insurgency and from all indications, we are not winning. The federal government must wake up; things are beyond what we can remain in denial about. It’s time to think and act, otherwise there will be no Nigeria to govern.

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah

Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Divisional Directors Iyobosa Uwugiaren Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Abdulmumin Balogun Zipporah D. Tanko

Leadership Holdings

Managing Director Abraham Nda-Isaiah Executive Director Nnamdi Samuel New York Office Mohammed Bello Shehu London Office Dr Bello Salihu Johannesburg Office Abiodun Oguntuase

LEADERSHIP is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation’s capital.

We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interest of Nigerian people even against their rulers, and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed.

We shall never, ever for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being: For God and country!

4 news extra

Monday, January 12, 2015

Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo Our Confidence Based On Record Of Achievements – Sambo

Ahead of the February 14 presidential poll, Vice President Namadi Sambo yesterday expressed optimistic that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will again emerge victorious in the election and other subsequent elections, saying the party has performed creditably to warrant continuity beyond 2015.

The vice president stated this yesterday when he commissioned a renovated edifice, the Goodluck/ Sambo 2015 Presidential Campaign Organisation Office in Kaduna State and inaugurated the Kaduna State chapter of the campaign organisation.

According to Sambo, the impressive turnout of vibrant campaigners and the commissioning of the befitting office are bold pointers of the readiness of the Kaduna State chapter of the presidential campaign organisation to garner massive support for the party and the presidential candidate.

He said, “Kaduna State is a stronghold of the PDP and we have the objective of surpassing our previous record of performance by generating at least two million votes for the presidential election.

I have no doubt in our ability to meet this expectation in view of the wide acceptability of the party and positive indications that greater victories await our great party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). We have always been a popular pillar of the party and we shall prove our mettle of reliability and success again.”

By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

Insurgency: To Get National e-ID Card – NIMC Boss

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), has said that it has taken necessary measures to ensure that internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country get their National eID cards wherever they are.

Director General of NIMC, Mr Chris Onyemenam, who stated this while presenting the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr Mike Omeri’s e-ID card to him at the NOA’s headquarters in Abuja, said the commission has procured mobile enrolment kits and is currently testing them.

He said “We are working with NEMA to ensure that even if you had enrolled somewhere and then you become an internally displaced persons, it will still be possible for us to ensure that you get your card wherever you,” he explained.

By Patience Ivie Ihejirika Abuja

L-R: Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari and Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso during Buhari’s visit to the governor at the Kano State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY GOVERNMENT HOUSE KANO.

Twitter War: Jonathan Prays As Buhari Heads To Abakaliki, Akure

By Ebriku John Friday, Abuja

As the February 14 presidential election campaigns continue to attract national discourse, President Goodluck Jonathan has prayed against bloodshed, rigging and any form of violence, saying ending pre and post-election violence is not an issue for any particular party but a national challenge.

Jonathan, who is the presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) raised various prayer points yesterday through his special assistant on new media, Reno Omokri, via the twitter handle @renoomokri, using the hashtag #Noblood4DogorBaboon.

The president called for unity in winning the war against insurgencies.

He said in the tweet, “On February 14, may our votes count and may they be counted no matter what the results will be.

“May God destroy plans of those planning to rig election & those planning bloodshed after election.

“May those who don’t have Nigeria’s interest at heart gather to scatter. May peace reign on Feb 14.

“May there be no rigging, roasting, soaking in blood, or parallel govt in Nigeria now and forever! #Noblood4DogorBaboon “In 2015, may power come from God, not by force, not by rigging and not by cloning. Retweet to say amen!

“On Feb 14, may those planning to use “charms & native powers” be overpowered by the Power of God.

We pray that youths will not die for elders and elders will not incite youths to violence. #Noblood4DogorBaboon “On February 14, may the children of the poor not be sacrificed because anybody lost election.

“Only those who are afraid of the power of a Permanent Voter Card burn their opponents’ buses.

“Ending pre and post-election violence is a Nigerian issue not a PDP/APC issue. Unity is our only weapon.

Buhari heads to Abakaliki, Akure On his part, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, has said that his campaign team will be in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital and

Akure, Ondo State, as it resumes its rally for this week.

Buhari, who is basking in the euphoria of the successes his campaign rally has recorded so far, yesterday tweeted via his twitter handle @Thisisbuhari, wishing all Nigerians “Happy Sunday”.

Buhari posted a photo of himself carrying a child he referred to as his grandchild and said “our children deserve more”.

His tweet reads: “After a week on the road, I return to the joy of my grandchild. I do this for them.

Our children deserve more.

“There will be no #APCRally today. However, we will continue tomorrow, 12th January, 2015 from Abakaliki and then Akure, Ondo State.

“Happy Sunday to everyone. #Change is coming to Nigeria.”

DSS Findings, Ploy To Postpone Election, Avert PDP’s Defeat – APC

BY George Okojie, Lagos

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Department of State Services (DSS ) of acting the script of the Presidency to postpone the forthcoming elections and help the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to avert defeat in the polls.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed who said this at a press briefing yesterday in Lagos, noted that the gestapo-like raids of their Data Centre last year showed that DSS is working for the ruling party.

He said , “Having taken our time

to study the ‘findings’, we believe it is necessary for us to respond to the allegations in a more detailed manner that will show that we were even charitable to have described the report as hogwash.

“That DSS report is bunkum, garbage, and is not worth the paper on which it is written. We will demonstrate that to you shortly. “We will like to tell all Nigerians that the crap called ‘findings’ is part of the ongoing efforts by the Jonathan Administration to postpone next month’s general elections.

Having seen the handwriting on the wall vis-a-vis the growing rejec-

tion of the PDP by Nigerians, the Jonathan, Administration has gone into a panic mode, while embarking on a plan to postpone the elections.

“Apparently, the thinking at the DSS, which is working in cahoots with the PDP, is that its report that the APC plans to hack into the voters’ registration Data Base of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will raise doubts about the integrity of the voter’s register to be used for the forthcoming polls, and subsequently force a postponement of the elections since the existing register cannot be used for the polls.

“Unfortunately for DSS and the PDP, this thinking was based on a wrong premise, as we will show shortly, and it has backfired.

“Before you say our claim is outlandish, remember that some prominent Nigerians have publicly called for the postponement of the election - which can only benefit the Jonathan Administration and delay its impending Waterloo at the polls.

“Place the calls side by side with the apparently doctored outcome of the DSS investigations and the timing of the report’s release, and you will understand where they are coming from.”

NEWS 5

Monday, January 12, 2015

2 Indian Firms Use Names Of First Lady, Governors

By Tony Amokeodo, Abuja

In what can be likened to an ingenious method of money laundering, eight officials of two Abuja-based Indian firms, Sanju Sunny Nigeria Ltd and China Railway Engineering Nigeria Ltd, have used the names of First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, state governors and commissioners to launder millions of dollars under the guise of bribing them to execute projects in Nigeria.

The eight officials of the two firms (some of who are now at large) prepared cash vouchers for false returns to their parent companies in China between 2010 and 2013.

The errant officials are Geng Xiancheng, Cheng Qian, Tian Hui, Liu Zuzhi(at large), Ms Tian Xue (at large), Tian Wei (at large) Qin Fuhua (at large) and Li Pengtang (at large).

LEADERERSHIP investigation further revealed that the errant officials of the two firms demanded millions of dollars and naira to bribe federal and state officials, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) officials and agencies to facilitate certain projects in Nigeria.

The modus operandi of these firms’ officials are novel. Apparently taking advantage of the reputation of Nigeria as country mired in widespread corruption, these officials would demand certain amount of money and a voucher would be prepared for the alleged non-existing beneficiaries, but the said amount would be wired to the personal accounts of some of these officials in India. They would then record the amounts in the firms’ account books as funds used to bribe certain government officials to facilitate phantom projects.

For instance, the bank record of Sanju Sunny Nigeria Ltd showed that $50,000 was purportedly used in bribing certain state officials from the South West to enable the state governor sign a bogus project, but the said $50, 000 was actually wired to the personal account of Li Pengtang (now at large) in China on August 27, 2103.

Documents sighted by LEADERSHIP further showed that the officials of the firms claimed that substantial millions of dollars and naira were purportedly used to bribe the First Lady, her personal assistant, governors from the South West, South East, South South, North East, North Central and North West.

The amounts recorded as bribes to elected governors and first lady are not only ridiculous but incredible. For example, a voucher claimed that $20,000 was given to a state governor in the South West to facilitate a project in the state while another voucher purportedly recorded that N150, 000 was paid for a governor from the North East as his travelling and accommodation expenses.

In another document sighted by LEADERSHIP, $20,000 was allegedly

paid to Patience Jonathan and another $25,000 to her personal assistant to facilitate a certain non-existing federal project.

There was also a voucher which recorded that N2.7million was paid to certain officials from two states in South West and South South in order to enable their governors approve fake projects.

The development prompted a massive investigation by the operatives of the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which discovered that the officials operated in Abuja and Abeokuta, Ogun State, while one of the suspects, Gen Xianchaeng, the manager of their Abuja office was arrested and has made statement in the matter.

A female suspect, Tian Xue, was said to have travelled back to China and might not return to Nigeria.

LEADERSHIP also gathered that three suspects, whose signatories featured in the vouchers, Tian Wei, Qin FuHua and Li Pengtang, had been sacked by the Indian firm and had returned to China.

It was further gathered that the EFCC had declared Liu Zuzhi and other suspects wanted over the matter When contacted over the matter, EFCC spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the development. He simply told LEADERSHIP last night that investigation was under way, but he would not give further details.

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LEADERSHIP Conference/Awards FROM FRONT PAGE

February 5, at the Sheraton Hotel, would attract who-is-who in the country.

LEADERSHIP’s management disclosed that the Person of the Year, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has confirmed that he would attend the event to personally receive the award.

Other recipients of the award,

including the LEADERSHIP Governor of the Year, Borno State governor Alhaji Ibrahim Shettima and the LEADERSHIP Politician of the Year, Nasarawa State governor Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, have also confirmed their attendance.

The event will be chaired by former minister of health, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi.

Read more on the 2014 awards on www.leadership.ng

Again, Female Suicide Bombers Strike, Kill 10 In Yobe Market

By Hussaini Jirgi, Damaturu; Ebriku John Friday and Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Two female suicide bombers yesterday blew themselves up at a Yobe market after detonating bombs wired to their bodies, killing no fewer than 10 persons. The girls were said to be about 17-years-old.

The blasts, which occurred at about 3:12pm along Muhammed Idriss Way, were most likely targeted at sellers of second-hand handsets who usually display their goods at GSM Village (Kasuwar Jakwal).

A businessman, Muhammed Audu Hassan, who survived the blasts, said he counted five corpses.

“I was inside the GSM village market when I heard the first blast around 3:12pm, so I tried to run and minutes later there was a second blast. The first blast was near GSM Village that leads Muhammed Idriss Way while the second occurred by the road side,” said Hassan.

Another witness, Bashir Isa, who spoke to our correspondent on phone, said that he saw several corpses shortly after many others had been evacuated to nearby hospital.

Another resident, Auwal Bukar, said that many victims were taken to the general hospital Potiskum.

“We were at the general hospital to see a patient when we saw many ambulances bringing in victims of the blast. Over 20 people were brought, some dead, 43 injured,” he said.

A source at the Potiskum Division Police confirmed that policemen and some soldiers were still busy conveying victims from the scene to the hospital.

We’re mobilising to save Baga – DHQs The military high command has said that it is mobilizing and regrouping to save Baga town in Borno State, and insists that no portion of Nigeria will be conceded to terrorists.

Defence spokesman, Gen Chris Olukolade, stated this yesterday via his twitter handle @GENOlukolade, using the hashtag #BagaTogether while reacting to a piece published in a Chadian newspaper, Al-Widha, which claimed that the Chadian government withdrew its military due to alleged corrupt practices in the Nigerian military.

Olukolade further tweeted on the progress soldiers making towards reclaiming Baga, revealing that the forces had also repelled a planned attack on Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

He urged Nigerians to support the military in its war against the terrorists.

The defence image maker described the publication in the Chadian newspaper as a ‘sponsored piece’ aimed at heartening local and foreign sympathisers or collaborators of terrorists operating in Nigeria.

He said in the tweets: “My attention has been drawn to a sponsored opinion in a Chadian newspaper. The government of Chad does not share this sentiment. The sponsored piece on Chadian Paper, Al-Widha, claims Chad government refused to cooperate with our military because we are allegedly corrupt.

“It is merely another remark to trumpet the campaign of local and foreign sympathisers or collaborators of terrorists operating in Nigeria. None of those meaningless allegations of corruption has ever been proved. They are just diversionary and a tool for detractors.

On reclaiming Baga town from the Boko Haram sect, Olukolade said: “We are fighting in Baga. We are taking the terrorists down.

We are losing our soldiers too. Stop the noise, Let’s fight #BagaTogether!

In other posts, he wrote: “There were ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

6 news extra ‘Any Prophecy That Contradicts Oneness Of Nigeria Is False’ The primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, has said that any prophecy from anyone pointing to the disintegration of the country is false and should not be accepted by Nigerians.

Okoh, who was speaking during the dedication of the Holy Trinity Cathedral Building in Gwagwalada, FCT and the third Memorial Thanksgiving Service of late Hon Jummai Aduda yesterday, stated that Nigeria will continue to be in unity and progress contrary to some prophesies making the rounds in the media.

He said,“The prophecy of Nigeria is that we will remain one. The prophecy is that the country will make more progress. We are not going backwards. Nigeria will move forward. Any prophecy that contradicts this is a wrong prophecy”.

Speaking on the coming election, Okoh called on parents in the country not to allow their children to be used as political thugs, adding that they should be agents of peace to bring about progress in the country.

By Chika Mefor, Abuja

Jonathan: Mbaka’s Message Not From Holy Spirit Southern Christian Elders As the presidential election draws near, clerics under the auspices of Southern Nigeria Christian Elders’ Forum (SOCEF) have faulted the “prophetic message” of Enugu Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, on President Goodluck Jonathan.

The elders, who spoke to journalists shortly after their meeting in Enugu, insisted that Mbaka’s message was merely his personal opinion and not inspired by the Holy Spirit.

The meeting was attended by archbishops, bishops and other Christian leaders from the SouthWest, South-South and the SouthEast, including Most Rev. A.N.C Anikwenwa, Bishop Dr. Peter Ogumuyiwa, Most Rev. Caleb Maduoma, Rev. Dr. Felix Ekiye, among others.

Chairman of the forum, Bishop David Eberechukwu, who read the communique of the meeting, said it was not the first time Mbaka would be making such claims.

He said, “In 2003, he said that the then Governor Chimaroke Nnamani would not get re-election and that if that happened, he would remove his cassock; indeed, Chimaroke was reelected and up till today, he has not removed his cassock.”

By Nnamdi Mbawike, Enugu

Monday, January 12, 2015

Koro horse riders at the FCT Cultural Heritage Day in Kuje, Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY NAN

Anambra PDP Candidates List: Jega Risks Jail Term

By Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega stands the risk of being sent to jail over his refusal to accept the list of candidates for the National and State Assemblies from the Ejike Oguebego-led Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State.

The Oguebego faction had initiated contempt proceedings against Jega for allegedly flouting a judgement of a Federal High Court in Abuja in relation to the outcome of the National Assembly primaries held in the state.

In a motion for committal filed by the party on December 31, 2014, Jega was accused of disobeying a December 5, 2014 judgement restraining INEC from accepting “any delegate list or nominated candidates” from the congresses or primaries conducted by the caretaker committee purportedly set up by the party’s national leadership to manage the affairs of the Anambra PDP. Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court, in Abuja, had in a judgement delivered on Decem-

ber 5, 2014 in suit No: FHC/ABJ/ CS/854/2014 filed by the chairman and legal secretary of Anambra PDP, Ejike Oguebego and Chuks Okoye (for themselves and the state’s Executive Committee of the party), affirmed Oguebego’s leadership of the party.

Justice Chukwu declared the caretaker committee illegal on the grounds that it was wrongly constituted while the tenure of the Oguebego-led Exco was yet to expire.

He said, “It is hereby ordered that the purported caretaker committee or ad hoc committee set up by the 1st defendant (PDP) during the subsistence and pending of this suit is illegal, null and void.

“That it is further ordered that any delegate list or nominated candidates that emanate from the congresses and primaries conducted by the caretaker committee or ad hoc committee set up by the PDP during the pendency and subsistence of this suit is illegal, invalid, unconstitutional, abuse of court process, null and void and cannot be used for any purpose.”

The party, in its motion on notice filed by its lawyer, Taiwo Abe, seeks among others, “an order committing

Prof Jega, chairman, INEC for contempt of court for disobeying and refusing to comply with the order of this court made on December 5, 2014 and served on him on December 8, 2014.”

It also seeks an order directing INEC, “particularly its chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega – contemnor to comply forthwith with the orders of the court made on December 5, 2014.”

The Anambra PDP led by Oguebego hinged its prayers on the fact that INEC and its chairman were yet to obey the December 5 order and that their refusal to obey the order had adversely affected the nominated candidates that emerged from the National Assembly primary it conducted.

Justice Chukwu further ruled “that the 1st defendant’s agent and privies are hereby restrained from forwarding, sending or submitting to the 2nd defendant (INEC) any delegates list or nominated candidates that may emerge from the congresses or primaries conducted by the caretaker committee or ad hoc committee set up by the party.

“That the PDP is restrained from forwarding, sending or submitting to

INEC any delegates list or nominated candidates that may emerge from the congress or primaries conducted by the purported caretaker committee set up by the PDP for the Anambra State Chapter except those emanating from the Oguebego’s congresses and primaries election.

We’re yet to take decision- INEC Reacting to the development, INEC’s Director Legal Services, Bawa said that the commission is yet to take a decision on the matter.

He said “INEC is still studying the judgment and the ex-parte order from both parties. One is a judgment and the second is an exparte order. So the commission has not taken a position about the two to ascertain which of the two names is authentic. By law, the list for the National Assembly will be published on January 13.

“I am confident that by Monday (to day), the commission will reach a decision because of the publication of the list on Tuesday, January 13. The commission will take a decision on January 11 or 12 So the Anambra list must come out on that day (13) with other lists from all parts of the federation.”

Boko Haram: Falana Gives FG Ultimatum Over $1bn Loan For Weapons by gbenga soleye, Lagos

Lagos Lawyer and human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has given the federal government seven days ultimatum to make available to him and his chambers information as to whether it has acquired the military hardware with the $1billion loan approved by the National Assembly.

Invoking the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act in a letter he wrote to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Falana warned that should the federal government refuse to grant request for the said information, he would

have no choice than to pray a Federal High Court for an order of mandamus compelling it to do so.

President Goodluck Jonathan had sought the approval of the National Assembly for $1billion foreign loan to purchase military hardware on the grounds that the army lacked the weapons to combat the Boko Haram sect.

The federal lawmakers unanimously approved the president’s request to take the loan in line with the provision of section 217 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which stipulates that the armed forces shall be adequately equipped by the Federal Government.

In his FoI request, Falana said the information had become necessary, considering the fact that a total of 70 soldiers had already been convicted and sentenced to death by the General Court-Martial sitting in Abuja for the offence of mutiny.

“From the information at our disposal, the military authorities have concluded arrangements to put hundreds of other soldiers on trial for making a similar demand”, Falana added.

Requesting for the information regarding the $1billion within seven days, Falana said, “Having confirmed that the members of the armed forces are still hampered in

fighting the insurgents due to lack of equipment, we hereby request you to confirm whether the Federal Government has acquired the military hardware from the loan of $1billion approved by the National Assembly.

“As this request is made pursuant to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 you are required to provide us with the requested information within seven days of the receipt of this letter. If you fail or refuse to accede to our request we shall be compelled to apply to the Federal High Court for issuance mandamus in the circumstance”.

News north-central 7

Monday, January 12, 2015

E­­ lections: Don’t Run Away From Niger, Aliyu Tells Non-indigenes

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

The governor of Niger State Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu has decried the exodus of non-indigenes from the state because of the fear of likely violence after next month’s general elections.

Aliyu who was at the Redeemed Christian Church Living Stone Parish where he received the Award of Meritorious Service to Humanity by the Church, stated that such movement from the state for fear of the aftermath of the elections should be stopped assuring the security of lives and property in the state.

“I appeal to you not to run away from Minna, and other parts of the state because of the coming election” he stated while adding that the situation will cause more problems for them than solving any.

According to him, the 2015 general elections will be peaceful because result would be accepted by whoever loses, urging the people not to kill themselves for the po-

short news Kogi 2014 Budget Implementation Impressive – Commissioner Kogi State government has said that it has recorded success in the implementation of 2014 budget, contrary to the alleged failed implementation by a human rights activist in the state, Mr. Idris Miliki Abdul.

The state commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Ali Ajuh who stated this in Lokoja yesterday during the 2015 budget breakdown, and 2014 budget appraisal, also defended the 2015 budget critically conceived to “stabilise” the state, contrary to the activist’s position that the budget is ill conceived and full of “inconsistencies”.

By Sam Egwu, Lokoja

litical interest of anybody.

The governor said, “One killing self for partisan politics was like committing suicide which both religions abhor”.

Aliyu who emphasised religious tolerance among Nigerians, said that as a good Muslim he believes in Jesus Christ and that both Muslims and Christians pray to the same God explaining that “Haleluya in Christianity is the same as Ya, Allahu in Islam”.

He declared “We must respect and protect each one of us. I am appealing to you that the election period for the first time is becoming more intense than all the times that we have had election in this country. We must therefore be very careful. We must not allow the young ones to drag us into problems that we may not be able to get out from. We must not allow our desire and whims and caprices to cause problems and you must not kill yourself for anybody.

“I am not a religious fanatic.

I am happy with the way we handle religious issues in Niger State.

‘756,000 PVCs Distributed In Kogi’ The Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC) of Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) in Kogi State, Mall Halidu Aliyu Pai has disclosed that out of 1,189,356 Permanent Voter Cards(PVCs) sent to the state, 755,777 has been distributed across the 21 local government areas of the state.

Halidu who stated this in Lokoja at a meeting with journalists and secretaries of political parties weekend, in the state said a total of 433, 576 PVCs are yet to be collected by the rightful owners.

He added that 554 applications have also been received from eligible voters seeking for inter-state transfer of voter cards while 272 also seek for intra-state transfer which he said, were already receiving attention.

The resident electoral commissioner who said if INEC must conduct free and fair elections in 2015, the party leaders, contestants and their followers must change their “do or die” attitude to good conduct of election, urged all stakeholders to desist from the use of unguarded utterances to unnecessarily overheat the polity.

“Those whose particulars were not in INEC database are advised to present themselves for fresh registration.

By Sam Egwu, Lokoja

short news

Benue Decries Low Distribution Of PVCs Barely four weeks to the presidential election, about 509, 507 permanent voter cards (PVCs) are yet to be distributed to eligible voters in Benue State.

The director general of Benue State Planning Commission, Mrs. Dorcas Ukpe decried the poor distribution yesterday in Makurdi, Benue State during a chat with LEADERSHIP. In Benue, out of the 1,641,694 cards received by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), only 1,132,187 have been distributed,which is 68.96 per cent.

Ukpe lamented that the PVCs are yet to be distributed to electorate.

By Solomon Ayado, Makurdi

Pastor, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Niger Province, Pastor Kolajo Sanya (right)presenting an award of recognition to Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu during the 25th anniversary of the church, at the church premises in Minna, yesterday.

‘Nasarawa Land Policy Generates N600m IGR In 2014’

BY DONATUS NADI, Lafia

Following the robust land administration policy of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, the state government has realised the sum of N608,689,414.32 as internally generated revenue (IGR) from the sector in 2014.

This marks a remarkable achievement as against the sum of N448,020,842.68 realised in 2013 and a total shift from what the state has realised from the

same sector prior to the commencement of the Nasarawa Geographic Information System

by AlMakura’s administration.

Records made available to LEADERSHIP show that prior to his assumption of office in 2011, the state Ministry of Lands and Survey realised the sums of N41,374,362.25 and N53,739,195.00 for the year 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Since the massive investment by the Al-Makura led administration in 2012 the Nasarawa

State Ministry of Lands , Survey and Urban Development has been in the forefront as one of the big earners of revenue for Nasarawa State.

The ministry also broke its own record by realising the sum of N136,109,247.17 as revenue for the month of December, 2014, beating its own best records of generating the sum of N86,942,934.77 for the month of October 2014, and February 2014 when it generated the sum of N75, 338, 045,15.

Plateau CAN Cautions Gov Jang Over Unity

BY ACHOR ABIMAJE, Jos

Plateau State chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has cautioned the state governor, Jonah Jang against being a source of disunity in the fragile state.

This is contained in a letter addressed to the governor dated November 18, 2014 and signed by leaders of 12 affiliate member churches, titled “Issues and concerns over the forthcoming 2015 elections.”

The letter was signed by CAN chairman Rev. Soja J. Bewarang.

It further stated that “the cordial, prayerful and friendly relationship between Governor Jonah David

Jang and the denominational leaders in Plateau provided a perfect opportunity for the governor to have taken the Church into confidence.

“It is reported that you have ‘anointed’ Senator GNS Pwajok, who is from the same clan, district and local government (Jos South) to take over from you as the next governor of Plateau State. If this is the case, viewed against the background that Governor Jang, himself having spent eight straight years in office, is ethically ill-advised for the governor to do this”.

They further warned that “Moreover there is a real risk of soiling the testimony of the Church and the

name of Christ by a governor who loves and proclaims Christ. The governor cannot afford to ignore the cries of the people on this matter as it could plunge ethnic groups and tribes into confusion and pitch tribes against one another”.

The leaders observed that political decisions have implications well beyond political circles and the state and these are realities or factors that cannot be easily ignored, considering the fact that the state is host to most church headquarters.

“Our prayer is that the Governor should avoid taking any political steps which could lead to the breakdown of law and order.

YOWICAN Berates Politicians Over ‘Do-or-Die’ Politics

BY DONATUS NADI, Lafia

Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, YOWICAN has berated politicians involved in door-die politics, threatening to dissociate itself from any politician or group whose utterances were capable of further destabilising the country.

Interim national president of the association, Mr. Dan Kadzai who is-

sued the threat in a chat with newsmen in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital at the weekend also called on politicians to put the interest of the country above personal considerations.

He lamented the manner in which some politicians vying for elective positions have resorted to character assassination and campaign of calumny against each other rather than issues-based

campaign, observing that such tendencies could turn the country into a more chaotic state. He said that politicians must realise that the corporate existence of Nigeria was not negotiable.

“As Christians, we appreciate God for making this country a multi-ethnic and multi-religious one and we cannot afford to undermine this fact on the basis of desperation by selfish politicians.

8 NEWS

Monday, January 12, 2015

Again, Female Suicide Bombers Strike civilian casualties in Baga. No numbers creditably determined. We can’t count the terrorists we killed, too. No portion of Nigeria’s territory has been, or will be, conceded to terrorists. Not Baga. Boots on ground, raids from the skies.We are mobilizing and regrouping to save Baga. We are fighting everywhere.

We held Damaturu down. Boko Haram is evil.

“Our OPs consider first the protection of civilians, the innocents who are being assailed for refusing an Islamist militant state. Since January 3, 2015, we’ve been at war in Baga . The attack by blood hounds on the innocent is evil and not those fighting them. What does it take to shell or reduce Baga to debris?

Should the larger population of the good pay the price for the wicked?

“The men fighting and dying in Baga are from different tribes, religions and persuasions. No cause for division. More troops deployed to the Multinational Joint Task Force HQ in Baga. (De)Briefing for the Save Baga Mission.

“We in the military swore an oath to the code of allegiance to our country. Rise above political propaganda. Evil is evil.

“For reasons known to them Niger and Chad withdrew their troops from the MJTF HQ in Baga. We own this fight. Stop the division. God grant unto us victory over darkness.

God bless all the men and women fighting against evil in Nigeria. #BagaTogether.

Baga Killings, Attack On Jonathan’s Vehicles: PDP sues for peace ...Urges 30 days of prayers The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deplored the senseless killing of innocent citizens in Baga town and Maiduguri in Borno State and called on Nigerians to declare one month of prayers for divine intervention in the over-flowing troubles caused by greedy Nigerian politicians.

The party also decried last Saturday’s unprovoked attack on President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign vehicles in Jos, the Plateau state capital, describing it as a barbaric act that should be condemned by all lovers of democracy.

PDP national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement yesterday, said the agenda of sponsors of the various acts of violence in the country is to provoke revenge and counter-attacks.

He, however, called for restraint from all quarters, adding that “the nation cannot afford any kind of tension at this stage of its political development.”

The party said it remains committed to peace and, as such, directed all its members not to retaliate despite the provocation.

“The PDP is totally committed to the unity and peace of our dear nation. This is paramount and must not be compromised. Those who seek to use violence to truncate the electoral process and destabilize our nation will be utterly disappointed.

Our country will continue to be, and the 2015 general elections will come and go peacefully.”

The PDP called on the law enforcement agencies to rise up to the challenge and bring to book all those behind the condemnable act so as to serve as a deterrent to violenceprone youths and their sponsors.”

The party called on Nigerians to embark on one month of prayers for peace in the polity in view of the oncoming general election.

“Our prayer is that God should keep Nigeria from being ruined by the over-flowing troubles of greedy and corrupt politicians, and our future being marred on account of personal or sectional interest.

We urge every Nigerian therefore to include the peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections in their prayers for 30 days, beginning from January 15,” the statement said.

Presidency blasts opposition over burning of Jonathan’s campaign bus …urge PDP members to restrain The presidency yesterday condemned the burning of one campaign vehicle of President Goodluck Jonathan in Jos at the weekend and blamed supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the act.

The special adviser to the president on political affairs, Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali, in a statement issued in Abuja, said the burning of the vehicle was a demonstration of the level of the desperation of the opposition and their plot to intimidate other Nigerians out of the political space.

While he asked PDP members to show maturity and restrain themselves from retaliating, he however said the incident will not deter the determination of President Jonathan to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections across the country next month.

The statement read: “We have observed a dangerous trend of politically motivated violence unleashed on innocent Nigerians by supporters of those who have shown desperation to assume political power at all costs.

“The incidence in Jos, Plateau State where our campaign vehicles were torched by irate youth supporters of the APC underscores the need for vigilance as we progress towards the general election. This criminal behaviour, which is meant to intimidate others and deny them their freedom of choice, stands condemned.

“The leaders whose utterances and conduct have encouraged this kind of behaviour must bear full responsibility for this. With the way things are going, it seems the ultimate agenda of making Nigeria ungovernable as prophesied by these politicians is underway.

“Nigerians are well aware of these antics and are fully prepared to protect their rights to freedom of choice. We condemn the acts of violence in Jos, Plateau State and also condemn the threats to violence

in every other part of the country.”

The presidential adviser reiterated that the federal government will ensure that no Nigerian is prevented from campaigning in any part of the country and called on the enforcement agencies to note the pronouncements of desperate politicians who are bent on fanning the embers of hate and threaten the peaceful conduct of the 2015 elections.

Buhari condemns attack, cautions supporters Meanwhile, Buhari has condemned the attack on Jonathan’s campaign bus in Jos and cautioned his supporters against any acts of violence.

Buhari, who stated this in his tweet, @Thisisbuhari, at the weekend, said the change that all Nigerians yearn for will happen peacefully even as he called on the government to intensify its effort in curbing acts of terrorism and hooliganism in the country.

He said in his tweet, “We insist on peace during these elections, and always. Politics is not war. Elections are not a battle. Violence is strongly condemned.

“I have received news of violence in Jos today (yesterday). I condemn this violence in its entirety. I reject any supporter who resorts to violence. Like I said after the attack on our supporters in Rivers this week, elections are not war. Electoral violence is unacceptable.

“We can and we will bring #Change to Nigeria peacefully. I call on the PDP to join this call for peace. Every Nigerian life is sacred. The trend of uncontrolled violence in the polity needs to end.”

He urged the federal government and security agents to find perpetrators of violence, irrespective of who they are or who they align with, arrest them and let them face the full wrath of the law.

“We have a government in this country. It cannot continue to abandon its responsibility to ensure peace. It needs to do its job,” he said.

Cameroon Lawmakers Seek To Improve Anti-Boko Haram Strategy Cameroonian lawmakers have proposed a detailed security plan to prevent the frequent attacks on civilians by the Boko Haram insurgents in the country.

The country’s Member of Parliament, Joseph Banadzem, told the Voice of America (VOA) that the demand will be made when the legislature reconvenes in March.

The lawmaker expressed concern that the administration in Yaoundé might divert funds currently earmarked for development projects to support security agencies fighting Boko Haram.

“When we come back in March, we have to raise it because it is great concern for all Cameroonians and particularly for elected officials,” Banadzem said. We are insisting that we need to do a little bit more in order to tackle the issue of Boko Haram.”

APC, Only Cure To Nigeria’s Headache – Tinubu

By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto

Former Lagos State governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, yesterday in Sokoto insisted that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is the only cure to the nation’s headache. He also advised President Goodluck Jonathan to step down from his post.

Tinubu, who spoke at the governorship campaign flagoff of th Speaker, House of Representatives and Sokoto APC governorship candidate, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, also said that APC had come of age and would no longer die prematurely.

“APC is the only cure to the diseases ravaging our country.

APC is the cure to Nigerians’ headache. Today, we are launching a campaign for unity and progress.

We will win back Nigeria.

President Jonathan should resign because with the brooms in our hands and God on our side, we will sweep out the recklessness and mal-administration of the PDP in the February general elections,” Tinubu said.

Collaborating Tinubu’s position, former national leader of the party, Chief Bisi Akande noted that Nigeria is a great nation and deserves to be seen from that perspective.

Akande, who formally presented Tambuwal to the electorate of Sokoto as their next governor, further urged them to

work and vote for the party in the forthcoming elections.

Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on his part, maintained that the time had come for Nigerians to vote wisely, to vote for people of integrity.

“Our election should no longer be based on region or religion, but on who can deliver. Who can allow Nigerians sleep with their eyes closed. We want who will work without fear of favour,” Oshiomhole said.

Sokoto State governor, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko thanked the people of the state for all the support he had enjoyed, and is still enjoying, from them as their governor, charging them to extend such gesture to Tambuwal when he takes over.

Tambuwal on his part advised Nigerians to vote President Goodluck Jonathan if they wanted a better country. He gave assurance to the voters that he would follow the excellent leadership footsteps of Governor Wamakko.

Other dignitaries at the event also include APC national chairman Chief John OdigieOyegun, Kwara State governor Abdulfatai Ahmed, former Sokoto governor Senator Ahmed Yarima, Kebbi State APC governorship candidate Sen. Atiku Bagudu, former Kebbi governor Sen Adamu Aliero, Sen. Ibrahim Gobir and other federal and state lawmakers and party supporters.

Jonathan To Military: Remain Patriotic, Despite Criticisms

By George Agba, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged the country’s armed forces to remain committed to defending Nigeria’s territorial integrity despite constant criticisms against their efforts by certain Nigerians who do not seem to appreciate them.

Also the prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Samuel Uche, has declared that there is a hidden agenda to Islamise the country.

According to him, these persons were the ones sabotaging the military’s effort in rescuing the abducted Chibok girls.

Both the president and the cleric spoke at an interdenominational church service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration.

Jonathan noted that the inadequacies in the military notwithstanding, the federal government was committed to its bid to equip them to effectively perform their duties.

He gave the assurance that his

government would continue to invest in the welfare of military personnel and their families through programmes like the Victim Support Fund which was launched recently.

The president added that the Armed Forces and other security services deserved the prayers and commendation of all Nigerians, as they lay down their lives in defence of the country’s unity and territorial integrity.

He said the current security challenges facing the country could have been worse but for their gallantry and commitment to the fight against insurgency.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Uche has accused some elements in Nigeria, who hate the country, of nursing a hidden agenda to Islamise the country.

Uche attributed the difficulty in the current war on terrorism in the country to the activities of saboteurs in the military and political class, and noted that the saboteurs had two reasons: to return to power at all cost because they believe they are born to rule and two to Islamise Nigeria.

2015NIGERIAdecides Monday, January 12, 2015

9

THE CAMPAIGN FALLOUTS, THRILLS & FRILLS

Jonathan, Buhari Take Campaign Trains To Obasanjo’s Backyard Today, Tomorrow

Chibuzo ukaibe writes that the presidential campaign trains of President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari are headed to Abeokuta, the home of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

Jonathan

Buhari

The campaign train of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today berth in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the state of his estranged predecessor and godfather, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who has since declared his resignation from activities of the ruling party.

This is just as Jonathan’s closest rival and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is expected to storm Ogun State barely 24 hours after the PDP leaves town.

While the former president has consistently opened his doors to the opposition APC, he has been locked in a political tussle with Jonathan who he campaigned for in 2011.

The president will also canvass for votes in the political capital of the old western region, Ibadan,

While the former president has consistently opened his doors to the opposition APC, he has been locked in a political tussle with Jonathan who he campaigned for in 2011

Oyo State, ahead of the February, 14 presidential elections.

The PDP presidential campaign train will slow on Thursday to mark the Armed Forces remembrance day but the president will be in Abakaliki and Umuahia on Friday; and Awka and Owerri on Saturday.

In contrast, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, will continue his presidential campaign in Imo and Ondo States today.

On Tuesday he will storm Lagos and Ogun States; on Wednesday, he will visit Osun and Ekiti States and on Thursday, Oyo and Kwara States.

On Friday, the APC presidential train will enter Benue and Kogi States. It will move to Plateau and Nasarawa States on Saturday and then Niger and Kaduna States on Sunday.

FACTCHECKER

Jonathan

bRiEFly

Jega

Pvcs: Youths Express Fear Of Disenfranchisement – Report Youths have expressed palpable fear of disenfranchisement due to late production/non production of PVCs and this is in spite of the heightened interests of youth to participate in the 2015 general elections” He maintained that “despite the challenge in the North-east occasioning migration of youths ,they have expressed willingness to vote as, a high number of youths had turned up to collect their PVCs”.

The fear was expressed by the Head of Policy,Research and Advocacy, Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement(YIAGA), Samson Itodo at the Public Presentation of the Youth Observatory Report on PVC collection in Abuja, recently.

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

PDP Stalwarts condemn Mu’azu, Others Over Imposition In Delta PDP Delta chieftains Mr. Harrison Biu, Rev. Isreal Unutame and Special Assistant to the Dep. Speaker on Media and Research Mr. Patrick Edema expressed lack of confidence in the national executive of the PDP

for subverting the will of the people.

“How can a candidate who scored 31 votes be substituted with another who scored 18 votes? This is a travesty of justice and a rape on democracy. We are persuaded that the national chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’Azu and his deputy, Uche Secondus and others contrived to inflict this democratic fraud on our people. We will resist it until justice is done,” they declared.

It would be recalled that this is the second non-violent protest in the area in two weeks to demand the restoration of the name of Hon. Ganagana who represents the Patani constituency in the state legislature.

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

Ex-Bayelsa Gov,Timipre Sylva, APc candidates Kick Off campaign In Bayelsa The three senatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State over the weekend kicked off their campaigns for the Central,West and East senatorial seats of the state at the National Assembly.

The three APC senatorial candidates: Bayelsa East,Chief Timpre Sylva; Bayelsa West, Eddy Julius and Bayelsa Central, Prince Preye Aganaba, were, during the presidential campaign in the state, handed the party’s flag for the February election.

Former governor of the state,Chief Timipre Sylva,whose Bayelsa East senatorial ambition has thrown open discussions on his chances against the PDP candidate, Ben Murray-Bruce, is said to have set up his campaign machinery and would soon inaugurate it.

By Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa Sylva

Buhari Spent $1.2m Arming The Armed Forces In 1984

At the presidential campaign declaration in Lagos, chiding APC candidate General Muhammadu Buhari, President Jonathan said: “Ask him, when he was the head of government, did he buy one rifle for the Nigerian military?

They refused to equip the military. Ask them what they did with their defence budget that they did not equip the military”.

But facts have emerged to state the contrary, according to Africa’s Persistent Vulnerable

Link To Global Politics, page 26, second paragraph; “the overall, sub-Saharan Africa supported socially and politically largely unproductive Armed Forces numbering around 1, 562, 000 in 1984, at a cost of $16, 200

million, including as much as $1, 200 million for Nigeria alone”.

Culled from Africa’s Persistent Vulnerable Link To Global Politics, page 26, second paragraph (www.books.google. com.ng).

10 NIGERIA DECIDES

Monday, January 12, 2015

Jonathan Contradicting Himself On MEND-Buni

Alhaji Mai Mala Buni is the national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview, he speaks on issues relating to the February polls and chances of Buhari in forthcoming elections. jonathan nda-isaiah was there for leadership East and the North West and the North Central as well. That is why the people have realised and are now demanding for change, and indeed a positive change. General Buhari is a human being, but do not forget that Buhari was a head of state in this country and he has successfully prosecuted war against indiscipline which we all know. In other words, I can say that Buhari is tested and trusted because even after he was head of state, he was also Petroleum Trust Fund chairman and during his tenure we know what he did in transforming our roads, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure which some places are still enjoying. That gave hope to Nigerians. It is not about Buhari, it is about Nigerians who have faith, trust and hope in a person like him.

A few days ago, the director of the media and publicity of PDP campaign council described General Buhari as representing darkness and Jonathan representing light. How would you react to this?

For somebody to say General Buhari represents darkness

and Jonathan represents light, maybe he is not in Nigeria. As a sitting president or a ruling party, what is expected of Jonathan or PDP is to enumerate their achievements. It is a consensus that the number one priority of Nigeria is that we need security.

We need to secure the country first before any other thing. For somebody who fails to secure the country to be described as representing light and someone who everyone knows has a track record of integrity to represent darkness, that can come only from a party like PDP. They should have buried themselves in shame because we believe they are campaigning for us by giving us more and more followers because everybody knows they are not telling the truth. What we expected to be the driving force of their campaign would have been their achievements.

They know Nigerians are no longer with them and Nigerians are more than ever enlightened.

Is it true that your party attempted to hack into INEC’s database?

That tells you how they think. It is only in Nigeria somebody can come to say a party like APC attempted to hack into INEC’s database. If the SSS is sophisticated up to that extent, what are they doing about the threat by Boko Haram and their sponsors and other criminals?

They should have brought them to book. They should have taken action against Boko Haram. If really they are sophisticated to identify intended hacking of INEC database, they should have directed such intelligence to the Boko Haram insurgents and other criminals.

ANSWERS

QUIZ TEST YOUR POLITICAL IQq 1. When would the 2015 general elections be taking place?

2. What year did the last general

elections take place?

3. Who was the candidate of the now defunct ACN in the last

general elections?

4. Who was the candidate of the now defunct ANPP in the last

general elections 5. Who is the current chairman of the electoral body INEC?

1. 14 February 2015 2. 2011 3. Nuhu Ribadu 4. Ibrahim Shekarau 5. Attahiru Jega

There seems to be a demand for change of leadership across the country, especially in the face of the challenges in the areas of insecurity and economy. But some people fear that your candidate General Muhammadu Buhari has some shortcomings that may affect his chances of winning the election.

What is now happening in Nigeria is in common sense revolution.

North, East, South and West, everybody is clamouring for change and that demand for change is necessitated by the fact everybody has realised that there is systemic decay because you see lapses in all the areas of governance. When you take infrastructure, security, education, everything has collapsed. Today you cannot go to worship places without being screened, you cannot go to the market without being screened, and you can’t go to the shopping mall without being screened. Already the system has sent in fear and terror because citizens have realised that they are not being protected.

Without securing the environment, no meaningful achievement can be made. If you go to the crisis ridden states, no business because all the markets are closed, no education because all the schools are closed, no farming because you cannot go to the farm and you cannot travel freely because you are under a situation of fear. And don’t think that a crisis in one part of the country cannot affect the other.

What is happening in the North East has affected the South West, South Buni

voices

I Know Nothing Of Buhari’s Campaign Posters – Aliyu Following influx of posters bearing pictures of the governor of Niger State, Dr Muazu BabanAliyu gida Aliyu and that of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Mohammadu Buhari, in the state, the governor has denied any link with the opposition presidential aspirant.

Instead of the governor’s poster seeking for election as the senator representing Niger East with that of President Goodluck Jonathan, the said posters had his and that of Buhari, a situation that people believe means the governor has abandoned President Jonathan.

He said in a swift reaction issued yesterday in Minna by his press secretary, Israel Ebije, “The general public has been alerted on attempt by mischief makers to mislead electorate with a

campaign poster carrying the image of the Niger State governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and General Muhammadu Buhari for Senate and presidential elections respectively.”

Aliyu said it is the handwork of enemies of democracy, adding that desperate politicians have resorted to fabricating campaign posters to mislead and cause friction among Niger State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyalists.

He said the poster currently trending on the social network also carries the image of Niger State PDP gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Umar Muhammed Nasko, Hon Yakubu Sallau, PDP candidate for House of Representatives and Hon. Jummai Jafaru, candidate for Niger House of Assembly.

“It is indeed disturbing and very embarrassing to see campaign posters carrying the picture of Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and General Muhammadu Buhari.

by Abu Nmodu, Minna

trends

Apc Storms Zuru As Senator Magoro, Two Generals , Pdp Chieftains Decamp To Apc The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi State has received prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains of Kebbi South from Zuru and Yauri who have dumped the party to join APC. The decampees include Senator Mohammadu Magoro, a serving senator of PDP, Rtd General Abubakar Tanko Ayuba , Rtd General Dan Asabe and Col. Manga.

The decampees were received at the Zuru township stadium on Saturday during the presentation of APC’s governorship running mate, Col . Samaila Yombe, who is from Zuru and the flagging off campaign of the party in the state.

Other PDP chieftains from the area who also dumped the party to join APC with hundreds of their supporters include Alh.Zaki Mental, PDP youth leader in Yauri local government , Alh.Abdullahi

Lamba,the former chief of staff to Governor Dakingari, Alh. Jelani Mohammed,Wazirin Yauri, former commissioner and Alh Yusuf Dan Ladi Layi Layi,a prominent businessman in Zuru.

Speaking on behalf of the decampees, Gen. Tanko Ayuba said Senator Magoro could not attend the gathering due to bad weather which has prevented flights. He said part of reasons they dumped PDP was because Zuru is marginalised politically, saying, “PDP has ignored Zuru; no governor, no deputy governor, nor SSG but APC has accepted us”, he said.

The APC gubernatorial candidate, Senator Atiku Bagudu and Senator Adamu Aliero, APC Kebbi central senatorial aspirant all castigated PDP as a deceptive and failed party responsible for insecurity bedevilling the country.

By Yahya Sarki, Kebbi

news north-East, north-west 11 Half Of My Community Destroyed By Insurgents – Hong

Monday, January 12, 2015

I Didn’t Instruct Thugs To Destroy Jonathan’s Billboards – Taraba Acting Gov

By Andrew Ojih, Jalingo

The reinstated acting governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Sani Danladi has denied rumours that he instructed thugs to destroy President Goodluck Jonathan’s billboards within Jalingo metropolis.

Briefing journalists yesterday in Jalingo, the spokesman of the acting governor, Mr Slyva-

nus Giwa said the acting governor who is canvassing for votes for Mr President could not have been behind the destruction of his billboards.

He stressed that the acting governor is working hard to unite the party and the entire state, and therefore, could not be behind the action.

“His Excellency, Alhaji Sani Danladi Abubakar has been dialoguing with stakeholders to see that everlasting peace returns to the state; let’s join hands with him by contributing our quotas to move Taraba State forward”, Giwa said.

He noted that Alhaji Garba Umar and Danladi who have

been at loggerheads over their attempts to render each other politically irrelevant have reconciled their differences and are now working together.

He said that Danladi has succeeded in uniting all the party members and the party is currently working towards actualising its dream come February 28.

L-R: Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; Kwara State governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed; Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and Sokoto State governor, Aliyu Wamakko at the formal flag-off of Tambuwal’s governorship campaign, yesterday.

short news

Katsina Budget: Group Pledges Mass Campaigns On Revenue Generation Disturbed by the declining revenue from the federation account, the Katsina Budget Awareness Initiative (KBAI) has pledged to engage in aggressive awareness campaigns on the need for people to pay taxes so as to increase the state’s internally generated revenue.

The group’s chairman, AbdurRahman Abdullahi Dutsin-ma disclosed this to our correspondent in Katsina.

By Muazu Elazeh, Katsina

Kano CP Warns Politicians Against Inciting Comments

By Abubakar Salihi, Kano

Kano State Police Command has warned politicians in the state against inciting comments that could lead to violence before, during and after the February elections.

The Kano State police commissioner, Adenrele T. Shinaba, gave the warning yesterday during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the command towards ensuring a violence-free and fair election in the state in February.

According to the commissioner, the meeting became necessary in view of what is happening in the state especially in some of the local media houses.

He noted that most of the electoral violence in the past occurred as a result of inciting statements made by politicians.

The commissioner added that the command will not fold its arms and allow people to continue misrepresenting democracy in the name of political campaigns.

He, therefore, warned that the

command will take necessary action against anyone found indulging in the habit.

The meeting had in attendance religious leaders, politicians, community leaders among others.

Speaking during the meeting, the chief imam of Al-Furqan Friday Mosque, Sheikh Bashir Aliyu Umar called on all politicians to embrace the spirit of peace and harmony as the only key to a successful national development before, during and after all elections.

‘We’ll Mobilise People To Vote Credibility, Not Party’

BY MIDAT JOSEPH, Kaduna

Religious leaders under the aegis of Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Council (SKCLC) led by the Catholic bishop of Kafanchan Diocese, Bishop Joseph Danlami Bagobiri, have vowed to mobilise their followers to only vote for credible and competent candidates that will address fundamental issues of the area without recourse to political parties and other inclinations.

The Christian leaders in a strongly worded communiqué read during their Southern Kaduna Prayer

Summit held in Kafanchan in Kaduna State, over the weekend, also vowed not to condone the political deceit and injustices being meted out to the people of Southern Kaduna in the course of the 2015 general elections.

Presenting the position of the religious leaders, Rev Yusufu Turaki, a former national president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said “the council is no longer interested in any political slogans, political posters or political money bags, but only real political stuff for our people”.

The prayer summit was attended by the deputy governor of Kaduna State, Amb Nuhu Bajoga, and the running mate of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Arc Bala Barnabas Bantex.

Professor Turaki went further saying “I stand here to speak on behalf of Southern Kaduna Leaders Council and also on behalf of the majority of our people and Southern Kaduna in general. The rallying cry, groaning and yearning of our people can be summarized in few words: the quest for socio-political and economic emancipation.

short news

Kurfi Blames Poor State Of Education On UPE Poor implementation of the Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme introduced by the then military regime of Murtala/Obasanjo is responsible for the current deplorable state of education, Katsina State commissioner for education, Aminu Kado Kurfi has said.

Prof Kurfi stated this during an education stakeholders’ meeting organised by Katsina State House of Assembly Committee on Education.

By Muazu Elazeh, Katsina

A Senatorial candidate under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former minister of health, Dr Idi Hong, has called on the federal government and other relevant stakeholders to come to the aid of his people, saying that Boko Haram insurgents who annexed his hometown of Hong recently have destroyed about 50 per cent infrastructure in the town.

Hong who is vying for the Adamawa Central Senatorial ticket noted that his hometown was the worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgents, claiming that half of the structures of the town have been pulverised, leaving the people demoralised.

“My community and hometown has been the worst hit among all the communities that have witnessed this insurgency.

“Nearly half of the structures in the town have been destroyed by the insurgents. The facilities affected include residential buildings, government institutions, infrastructure, shops, business centres and worship centres,” he said.

Hong noted that many returning families have neither roofs over their heads nor businesses as their homes and businesses have been completely pulverised by the insurgents.

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

Gov Yari Seeks Reconciliation With Media As the campaign for the Zamfara governorship seat between APC and PDP becomes vibrant, Governor Yari Abubakar is seeking to work with the media to realise his aspiration for a second term in office.

For some years now, Yari has not enjoyed a cordial relationship with the media as he once confessed to the former information minister, Labaran Maku, during the 2013 Good Governance Tour, saying “I am not interested in investing in the media to showcase my performance”.

However, Governor Yari, through his campaign directorgeneral, Alhaji Ikra Bilbis, recently indicated his resolve to reconcile with media correspondents in the state to assist in sending his next programmes for the state across to the indigenes outside the state and in the diaspora.

The campaign director-general, who is a former minister of information, said at a press briefing, that one of the major terms of reference of his committee was to ensure effective reconciliation with the press so that it is carried along in the ongoing electioneering campaign.

By Abba Kabara

12 news south-South south-East APGA Warns Politicians Against Manipulating Igbos For Votes

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harchairman’s office.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Gunmen Blow Up Rivers APC Secretariat

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has warned politicians and prominent individuals against the convenient use of ethnic and cultural heritage for political horsetrading by pretending to represent the Igbo Nation when in actual fact, they do not care about Igbo people.

The party added that being Igbo cannot be a convenient political stance.

The presidential candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, had last week campaigned in Enugu State, the political capital of the South East.

But a statement by the national publicity secretary, Okwukwe Ibiam said, “While we recognise that all are welcome and entitled to the Igbo cultural heritage, we however warn those with similar nomenclatures to the Igbo to be careful of how they conveniently introduce such in their utterances at the greater political and economic arena, which while self-serving and has no bearing on the greater reality, is however interpreted by others as a stance by the Igbo, with implications against the greater Igbo Nation, when such stance fails.

“Unfortunately also, the bearers demonstrate poor astuteness in standing by their previous messages.”

The statement added that the Igbo do not tolerate cowards, or

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Edo APC Lawmaker Loses Bid For Return Ticket The incumbent member representing Ovia federal constituency in Edo State, Hon Isaac Osahon, yesterday urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) faithful to vote massively for the party in the February 14 general election.

Osahon, who is currently challenging the display of Charity Amayanvbo as the candidate for the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), however appealed to his supporters not to decamp to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The lawmaker, while lamenting what transpired at the party’s primary, insisted that he was the true winner of the primary even as he promised to exploit all available legal options in ensuring that he gets justice.

“I want to assure our teeming supporters that I remain the duly elected candidate of the party in the forthcoming National Assembly election and we are irrevocably committed to defending same by every legal means”.

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

court

Unknown hoodlums in the early hours of yesterday attacked the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Okrika local government area of Rivers State with dynamite.

Chairman of APC in the area, Mr Christian Asifamaka, told journalists at the scene of the incident that the explosion, which occurred at about 3.15am, brought down the walls of the party secretariat, located at Abam-Ama community of Okrika, adding that the worst hit was the

Asifamaka stated that official documents of the APC as well as property belonging to the party, worth over N5million were destroyed after the multiple explosions that rocked the three-storey building housing the party secretariat.

When contacted, the police public relations officer (PPRO) in the state, Ahmad Muhammad, confirmed the attack, saying the Command has launched an investigation into the incident, so as to bring those behind the ugly act to book.

Reacting to the development, the governorship candidate of APC in the

state, Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, condemned the act, and expressed the hope that the Nigeria Police and other security agencies will assist in arresting those behind the act.

Peterside, who made the condemnation while speaking to newsmen in Okrika, shortly after assessing the level of damage caused by the explosion, accused members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the area of being responsible for the ugly act.

The governorship hopeful, who is also the member representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said members and supporters

of the PDP in the state have initiated a particular pattern of meting out violence to the people of the state, especially members of the APC. He said, “This development is very said and it is unfortunate that some persons in the society have decided to choose this path. If you have noticed, there has been a pattern of violence lately. On the 6th day of Janyary, when we had our presidential rally at the Adokiye Amesiemeka Stadium, we would have noted that some of our people who were coming from Abonnema, Degema, Asari-Toru axis were attacked around SaAma junction.

L-R: Permanent secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr Macjohn Nwaobiala; minister of state for education, Prof Viola Onwuliri; special assistant to the minister, Mrs Felicia Nwangene and rector, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, Prof Godwin Onu, during the traditional marriage of the permanent secretary’s daughter at Umuahia, Abia State.

‘Blame Fear Of Coups, Not Jonathan For Military’s Poor Weaponry’

By Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa

The paramount ruler of Akipelai Community in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State and former commissioner for information in the state, Chief Asara A. Asara, yesterday described as “unfair” and “provocative” the claim by the opposition politicians that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is responsible for the poor weaponry of

the military and the lack of political will to deal with the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East region.

Chief Asara said that though the military action against the Boko Haram insurgency is achieving the desired results, the opposition politicians should not ascribe the blame of poor weaponry of the Nigerian military to the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan but past adminis-

trations’ fear of military coup d’état.

Chief Asara, who served as special political adviser under the administration of the then Governor Goodluck Jonathan in Bayelsa State, stated in a statement sent to leadership yesterday via email, that the present administration has done a lot to checkmate the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents and that prior to this time, the military might

of the country was nothing to write home about as the fear of coups made the army not to purchase weapons.

Asara said, “Even Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as the president for eight years, could not empower the military due to the fear of being overthrown by the military and that was why he compulsorily retired so many officers during his tenure.The Boko Haram issue will soon be a thing of the past.”

Bayelsa Writes Police Over Oil, Gas Employment Scam

By OSA Okhomina, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State government yesterday confirmed that it has raised the alarm over the sales of fake Oil and Gas employment forms to residents of the state by suspected fraudsters, asking the police to arrest those involved.

According to the state government, though the state is yet to apprehend any suspect, preliminary investigation showed that

the suspected fraudsters are selling fake oil and gas forms to unsuspecting members of the public, under the guise of providing them with jobs.

A statement by the senior special assistant to the governor on oil and gas, Hon Basil Kenbo, said the criminally minded elements involved in the employment scam are out to extort money from the people of the state.

The statement said, “Some crim-

inally mind and dubious elements are using my office to illegally perpetrate crimes by selling fake oil and gas forms to members of the public with the prime aim of extorting money from them. I wish to categorically state that the office of the SSA to the governor on oil and gas has not authorised the sale of forms to any person or group of persons to the best of my knowledge as regards employment of the people of the state into Oil

and Gas Committee.”

Hon Kenbo said while the security agencies are on the trail of the suspects, the people of the state should be wary of criminally minded characters and report anyone in the act to the security agencies.

“We warn those perpetrating the unwholesome act to desist from it and anybody caught will be made to face the full weight of the law,” he said.

13

Monday, January 12, 2015

c

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14 news NATIONAL Masari Receives PDP Defectors, Insists APC

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja Will Win Katsina

Monday, January 12, 2015

Buhari’s Certificate: Go To Court, INEC Tells PDP

Former speaker of House of Representatives and APC gubernatorial candidate in Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, yesterday recieved about 7,000 members of the ruling PDP in Sandamu local government area of the state who dumped the party for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) insisting that the APC was positioned to win the state.

Our correspondent reports that the defectors led by a serving member of the state assembly, Sale Magaji, included relatives of serving commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Hamisu Makana.

By Muazu Elazeh Katsina

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied claims that it is involved in a coverup for the All Progressives Council (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, over his certificate saga.

It noted that the election commission does not have the constitutional powers to disqualify any candidate sent to it by the political parties.

INEC, while responding to the

allegation raised by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the electoral commission is covering up for Buhari over the certificate issue told the ruling party to go to court if it feels so aggrieved.

The director of Media and Publicity of PDP Presidential Campaigns, Chief Femi Fani Kayode, had on Saturday accused INEC of covering up Buhari over his failure to submit his certificate and credentials.

He said “INEC erred in law by

publishing the name of a candidate without receiving the personal particulars of the candidate within seven days of receiving his nomination forms as indicated in section 31(3).”

But the director of Voters Education and Publicity in INEC, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi faulted the position of PDP with regards to the role of the commission in the certificate saga noting that INEC has no constitutional powers to disqualify any candidate presented

to it by the political parties.

He said “In line with section 31 of the Electoral Act, the commission has no powers to disqualify any candidate whose name was submitted to INEC. This is the power of the law and it is expected that a political party in the calibre of the PDP should know this aspect of the provision of the law.

“If the PDP is strong on this matter, it knows what to do. Take him to court and that is the only option.

short news Osun Partners IITA For Improved Seedling

Gov Jang Pledges Support For Jonathan Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has assured President Goodluck Jonathan that the state would vote massively for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming elections.

Jang stated this at a brief reception for the PDP candidate in the forthcoming elections Senator Gyang Pwajok, held at the new Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos at the weekend.

He said, “Plateau is PDP and the people of the state would continue to support the party.

“PDP shall form the next federal government, PDP will win the governorship election in Plateau State in 2015, and we will do it by God’s guidance and by our clean minds, we shall campaign hard to ensure victory for our party at all levels”.

He further said that, “PDP has done well in transforming the nation and would do more if voted into office in 2015”.

By Achor Abimaje, Jos

APC Presidential Campaign: Northern Group Commends Dickson For Political Tolerance A group, Northern Peoples Forum (NPF) has commended the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, over his show of tolerance to the political activities in the state including the conduct of the presidential campaign by the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the group,the show of maturity and leadership by the Bayelsa State government during the APC rally in the state is a confirmation of tolerance and maturity needed by the various political parties during the 2015 elections’ campaigns.

OSA Okhomina,Yenagoa

To guarantee and sustain its massive food production programme through improved seedling, Osun State government has signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

L-R: Auxiliary bishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev Fr Anselm Umoren; grand knight of Catholic Knight of Saint Mulumba, Performing Gwagwalada sub-council, Mr Patrick Ozegbe and Mr Collins Anugom, at a lecture on pastoral status of divorced and separated the signing of Christians at St Paul Catholic Church Gwagwalada, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN the agreement on behalf of the state government at IITA, Ibadan at the weekend, the

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja Asembly candidates for the February allowed to contest in the PDP primaries.

Director General, “On this, the Adamawa electorate are polls because those who were eligible Office of Economic Imminent defeat awaits the Peoples to vote during the primary were disen- yet to come to terms with the kangaroo Development primary purportedly held in Abuja, and Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa franchised. and Partnerships State, unless the national leadership of All PDP primaries for elective posi- hence would not recognise those field(OEDP), Dr. Charles the party corrects the anomaly in the tions in Adamawa State, were held in ed as candidates of the PDP for goverDiji Akinola said norship and National Assembly polls begovernorship and National Assembly Abuja last year. the partnership primaries in the state, Sen. Grace Bent In a statement in Abuja, the senator cause the process which produced them with IITA and said, “Besides, none of the governorship were heavily compromised and flawed”. has said. private sector participant will She explained that a fake list of delBent a major stakeholder of the PDP and National Assembly aspirants who help the state to in Adamawa State maintained that no were cleared by the Independent Na- egates was used to elect the governorachieve the goal. primary held for Adamawa for the elec- tional Electoral Commission (INEC) to ship and National Assembly candidates tion of the governorship and National participate in the primary elections were of the party.

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

Adamawa Guber: Defeat Awaits PDP – Sen Bent

2015: Buhari Urged To Disown MEND’s Endorsement

By Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

The National Democratic Front (NDF) has decried the recent endorsement of the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger-Delta (MEND) for the next presidential election A statement issued by NDF’s national president, Comrade Philip Agbese in Abuja yesterday said such endorsements, coming at a time when the whole world is united in condemning and fighting ter-

ror groups, have the potential of painting Nigeria as a country that engages in wholesale sponsorship of terrorism.

According to him, MEND and Boko Haram are two of a kind who had no good agenda for the wellbeing of the masses of this country and should not be contemplated in any discourse regarding our democracy and national development at any point in time.

“It is worrisome that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) came out to openly endorse Buhari and he did

not distance himself from them within minutes. Even if he wants to claim not to give any credence to the action of the group, which ordinarily should not be in existence anymore, the stridency with which MEND continue to market the said endorsement is enough incentive for the APC candidate to repudiate their offer of support.

“This is a group whose existing members, who did not embrace the federal government offer of amnesty, should be on trial for crimes against the country.

“Buhari’s refusal to disown

MEND thus became more puzzling as he continues to maintain silence, which strongly suggests acquiescence, even in the face of denouncements from genuine stakeholders in the Niger Delta, including President Goodluck Jonathan.

“This silence must have perhaps emboldened other hideous groups like the evil Boko Haram that have been reported to have also endorsed Buhari’scandidacy.

“This is yet another source for worries given the fact that Buhari’s previous utterances like ‘baboons bathing in their own blood’.

NEWS/BUSINESS 15

Monday, January 12, 2015

business

$75m

Amount secured By Eland Oil& Gas To Develop Opuama Offshore Field

‘FG, Aviation Handlers Incurred Losses In Cargo Terminal Closure’

by Samson Echenim, Lagos

The managing director of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), Mr Olu Owolabi, has said that both the federal government and aviation handling companies lost huge earnings running into billions of naira to the closure of warehouses late last year and the subsequent suspension of cargo flights to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) suspended

cargo flights to the Lagos airport after the Nigeria Customs Service closed the cargo terminals for over two weeks following a face-off between officers of the Service and some clearing agents operating at the terminals.

The closure produced backlogs of cargo and congested tarmac that necessitated the FAAN to suspend cargo flights to the MMIA a few days before Christmas.

The SAHCOL boss, who declined to put figure to losses incurred by operators and government, said that the losses were difficult to compute but was sure the losses

hit billions of naira.

“We are even yet to get out of it. So, as it is now, it has been very difficult to compute our losses. No doubt, we lost billions of naira.

“Don’t forget that we have to increase our manpower to assist in the clearing of backlog of cargo to be able to meet up with the expectations of our customers during the festive seasons. We don’t pray that this type of closure ever happen again,” said Owolabi.

According to him, SAHCOL was hopeful that the government would be able to assist it in implementing the rules that

govern the procedures of all of the issues that necessitated the closure of warehouses of handling companies for almost three weeks which culminated in losses amounting to billions of naira.

“Don’t forget that we have to engage extra hands to handle security aspects of peoples’ baggage.

“We have to work extra hours with the men of the Nigeria Customs Service to de-congest the tarmac because of the small size of the apron where the cargo freighters are parked. So, it’s a lot of work load,” he explained.

BUSINESS QUOTE There are are three ways to make a living in this business: Be first, be smarter, or cheat.

John Tuld, Character in margin Call (feature film, 2011)

Eland Finalises Arrangement On $75m Facility For Opuama Offshore

by Chika Izuora, Lagos

Eland Oil & Gas has finalised arrangement for a new reservebased lending (RBL) credit facility of up to $75million (about N12.6 billion).

Eland expects the addition of future reserves and production growth to add to the size of the available RBL The company has executed a facility agreement for up to

$75million with Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), with the credit facility secured against OML 40 reserves.

The facility will be accessible by Elcrest Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd, Eland’s joint L-R: Managing director/CEO, UBA Foundation, Ijeoma Aso; 2nd runner up, Nuku Darko Dorcas; Ghana’s deputy minister venture company, to of education, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; winner, Paulina Boadiwaa Mensah; and first runner up Makafui Ama continue the development Tse Esther, at the Grand finale of the maiden edition of the UBA Foundation’s national essay competition for Senior of the Opuama Field in Secondary School Students in Ghana, held in Ghana.

OML 40 and for Eland’s general working capital purposes.

“I am delighted that we have signed this RBL facility,” said George Maxwell, chief executive officer (CEO) of Eland Oil & Gas. “The strong commitment from SCB in the current market conditions highlights the robustness and value of our asset base even accounting for the current lower oil price environment,” he added.

Eland expects the addition of future reserves and production growth to add to the size of the available RBL. SCB has committed $35million of the facility and will continue to act as lead arranger for

syndication of the remaining $40million.

Shell Appoints Osagie Okunbor New Managing Director In Nigeria

By Juliet Alohan, Abuja

Royal Dutch Shell has appointed Osagie Okunbor as the new managing director of its Nigerian company, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC).

Okunbor takes over from the former managing director, Mutiu Sunmonu, who is retiring after 36 years of service,according to a statement

yesterday by the company’s corporate media relations manager, Precious Okolobo.

Okunbor, the statement added has also been named the country chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria, combining the two positions as his predecessor did, thus becoming the third Nigerian to hold both posts.

A graduate of Business Administration from the University of Benin, Okunbor

is an accomplished professional, who is expected to bring over 28 years of industry experience and expertise to the job.

Commenting on the appointment, vice president, Nigeria & Gabon, Shell Upstream, Markus Droll said: “We are delighted to see another Nigerian at the helm of affairs in Shell Nigeria.

“Mutiu has worked very hard over these years, managing production and

setting a new agenda in dealing with

communities, government and other key stakeholders. We’re confident that Osagie will consolidate and build on the progress we have made in the past years,” he said.

The statement also informed that Okunbor has previously worked in Nigeria, the UK, Brunei and currently The Netherlands. His previous assignments include vice president, Human Resources for Shell’s Upstream Business in Sub-Saharan Africa and vice

president, Infrastructure and Logistics, Shell Nigeria.

He is currently senior advisor in Shell’s Upstream international operated business, based in The Hague, The Netherlands, from where he returns to Port Harcourt to take up his new position when he assumes office on March 1, 2015.

Okunbor who enjoys music and football in his spare time is married and blessed with

children the statement added.

16 NEWS/BUSINESS

Monday, January 12, 2015

Oteh’s Tenure: FG Moves To Appoint New DG For SEC

by Olushola Bello, Lagos

There are indications that a new director-general will be appointed for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as the federal government has written to Ms Arunma Oteh whose tenure expired last week that she would not be reappointed.

Oteh’s tenure came to an end last week, January 6, 2015, and it was gathered that she was given a letter to that effect on January 8, 2015, by the minister of state for finance in person.

It was further learnt that the Attorney-General of the federation had also written to explain the basis for not reappointing her.

Feedbacks from the market and within the SEC did not betray any surprise at the decision given the underlying ruptures in the institution.

Indeed the sequences of activities leading up to this decision had its own fair share of drama, making most stakeholders to express relief at the decision. A new DG will

be announced soon and sources indicate that this may come from within the institution with the executive commissioner, Operations, Mounir H. Gwarzo, being the front runner.

According to a press release by the commission, Oteh’s tour-ofduty as director-general of the SEC Nigeria will be remembered for its passion, purpose,

articulation and faithful implementation of a therapy of reform measures driven by the vision to transform the Nigerian market into a world class market. She was in a hurry to see Nigeria achieve a world class capital market that would drive development and make Nigeria one of the most attractive investment destination.

CSOs Advocate Drop In Price Of Fuel

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the Platform of the State of the Union Coalition (SOTU), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Protest- to-Power Movement (P2PM) have called on the federal government to bring down the cost of fuel considering the drop in the price of crude internationally.

The organisations also called on citizens to take advantage of the forth coming general elections to make political parties and their candidates enter binding commitments to prevent and combat corruption.

This is even as they lamented the “withdrawal of the nation’s external reserve (ER) and excess crude account (ECA) from $48 billion and $10 billion to less than $33 billion and $3 billion respectively (excluding accruing interest).”

Speaking during a media parley to mark the 3rd anniversary of the 2012 January uprising and the anti corruption movement in Nigeria in Abuja, at the weekend, leaders of the organisations, in a joint statement, said, “With the drop in the price of crude, there is no reason the price of fuel was still N97 and over a hundred in some cases.”

L-R: Deputy director, Inspectorate, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Faruna Monday; director, Brand Airtel Nigeria, Obinna Aniche; chief commercial officer, Airtel, Maurice Newa; group managing director, Cornerstone Insurance Plc, Ganiyu Musa; regional expansion manager, Africa Microensure, Kiereini Kirika, and vice president, Segments, Airtel, Dinesh Balsingh, during Airtel/Cornerstone launch Insurance scheme for Airtel subscribers in Lagos. PHOTO BY BENEDICT UWALAKA.

We’ll Contest Resolutions Of Illegal EGM In Court – Ibru

By Friday Atufe, Lagos

The chairman of Ikeja Hotel Plc, owners of Lagos Sheraton and Towers, Mr Goddie Ibru, has said that he is still a director of the company contrary to reports in some segments of the media that he has been removed as a director of the company at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the company held in Lagos last week.

He said, “This story is false and misleading; and as it has been repeated in several other news dailies, I feel constrained to set the record straight.

“In the first place, the so-called EGM was not properly convened; we have over 14,000 shareholders none of whom were issued with the notice required by sections 220-222 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2004; nor were they afforded the opportunity to appoint proxies to vote in their stead. The fact that a purported notice was published in the Guardian Newspaper is not sufficient.”

“I should also point out that I was not personally served with a notice of intention to remove me nor was I afforded the opportunity to make

a statement in my defense both of which are my rights under the CAMA 2004.”

Ibru said the purported EGM amounted to illegality upon illegitimacy with such disregard for due process as to scandalise anyone with even the most passing familiarity with the capital market. The chairman said any resolutions passed at these farcical proceedings would not and cannot be recognised, and he would be challenging them accordingly in a court of law in due course.

“Even more seriously, the requisitionists sought to hold their meeting in contempt of not one but two restraining orders from Nigerian courts – the first from Suit No. LD/114/2013, brought by the first three children of my late brother, Alex Ibru, and the second from Suit No. FHC/ABJ/PET/17/2014 brought by my sisters, Mabel and Grace Ibru,” the chairman said.

The chairman explained that the purported EGM was requisitioned by the publisher of the Guardian Newspaper, Maiden Ibru, ostensibly acting as the representative of Dadifoll Ltd, RFC Ltd, and Alurum

Ltd, adding that these companies form part of the estate of her late husband and my brother, Alex Ibru.

“My brother’s estate has not been admitted to probate; it is in fact the subject of dispute. Also in dispute is Maiden Ibru’s right to represent the companies and trusts of which it consists. There are on-going litigations surrounding these issues at the Lagos State High Court, Federal High Courts in Lagos and Abuja, and the Federal Court of Appeal.

The litigations include Suit No. LD/114/2013 brought by my nieces, the first three children of my brother, Alex Ibru,” the chairman explained.

The Federal High Court has issued an order restraining Maiden Ibru from representing the companies, comprising Alex Ibru’s estates, in the affairs of Ikeja Hotel Plc. The order also restrained her from holding the EGM purportedly fixed for January 6, 2015.

The chairman also explained that, “This order is an addition to the order from the Lagos State High Court in Suit N0: LD/114/2013 restraining her from meddling in the estate of Alex Ibru.

SmartCity Hub To Create 50,000 Direct Jobs

By Chima Akwaja, Lagos

Promoters of SmartCity Innovation Hub project, Nigeria’s answer to America’s Silicon Valley and Egypt’s Smart Village, have said the technology-focused innovation hub at LekkiEpe, Lagos, free trade zone corridor, will create 50,000 direct employments in its first five years.

This is apart from galvanising economic diversification and moving Nigeria towards a knowledge-based economy.

They disclosed this in Lagos at a private presentation of the project to technology industry stakeholders.

The hub will become a centre of technology innovation, research and development (R&D) as well as manufacturing for the ICT sector. Conceived in 2011 for development in Lagos and Abuja, the promoters include the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology, National Information Technology

Development Agency (NITDA), Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), and the Association of Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Companies of Nigeria (ATCON). The project is a bold move to bring together technology, government and society in ways that promote the culture of innovation and the competitiveness between allied businesses and knowledge-based institutions.

The holding company for the project is an investment and infrastructure company dedicated to creating modern real estate and infrastructure projects that allows people to live, work and relax in more pleasant and productive ways, the SmartCity Resorts Plc. The innovation hub is being developed on a 48-hectare land allocated by the Lagos State Government.

The chairman, SmartCity Resorts Plc, Sir Demola Aladekomo, said, “The SmartCity Innovation Hub is an A-grade technology development infrastructure.”

Monday, January 12, 2015

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Submit your complaint at www.govote.ng ww We must make sure every eligible voter can participate in the process!

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17

18

Monday, January 12, 2015

REPORT OF THE

TRANSFORMATION

AGENDA

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

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LEADERSHIP in a bid to provide a true and objective picture of the successes and challenges of the Transformation Agenda is publishing THE REPORT OF THE TRANSFORMATION AGENDA as told by the key actors themselves in their own words unedited.

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The Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan has been hailed as successful in several areas like agriculture, power, roads, macro-economic stability, foreign-direct investment inflow, and the health sector, among others. Critics cite poverty, youth unemployment, insecurity and the contracting middle class as evidence that the Transformation Agenda is not working. So who and what do you believe? Welcome to the Situation Report.

Ministries, Paratatals and Agencies who have made impactful contributions to the Transformation Agenda are invited to tell their success stories in the REPORT OF THE TRANSFORMATION AGENDA. Private sector companies and contractors who have successfully executed Transformation Agenda projects are also invited to show and tell their success stories in the historic REPORT OF THE TRANSFORMATION AGENDA.

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n’s achievements along nry Ubimago: 08068640944, tio sa ni ga or e th le pi m co y Simpl 3143902, He 7 Iyobosa Uwugiaren: 08:03 6, Tosin Allen: 0805211670wspaper 76 52 45 06 07 in am nj Be ne Adebayo nt Abuja resident a in m o d e th in it Show and tell

INTERVIEW /BUSINESS 19

Monday, January 12, 2015 How would the national electronic identity (eID) card programme help transform the economy?

The new eID card is expected to revolutionise the Nigerian economic landscape.

Combining an identity card with MasterCard prepaid payment capability creates a game changer as it breaks down two of the most significant barriers to financial inclusion – proof of identity and access to financial services.

Nearly 70 per cent of Nigerian adult do not have bank accounts. Through the eID card, they will gain access to formal financial services and receive an eID card that is universally accepted, enabling them to live more self-determined lives.

The programme will also help the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to achieve its goal of reducing the financial exclusion rate to 20 per cent by 2020.

Thanks to the scale and scope of the national eID programme, financial inclusion is a goal that can be reached as it makes access to mainstream financial services available to those who cannot participate today due to the lack of a universallyaccepted identification document.

The government will see increased transparency, cost savings, greater efficiencies, a reduction in fraud, reduced cost of doing business, enhanced security and socio-economic growth, as cash payments are digitised. Apart from increasing financial inclusion in Nigeria, the national eID card will help to digitise Nigeria’s payment system and further integrate it into the world wide system, thus helping to achieve one of the financial systems Vision 20:2020 goals.

Cash-dominate payment flows by both volume and value to some extent in Nigeria today. This is unsustainable and has significant cost to government and society. Our consulting arm, MasterCard Advisors, estimate the cost of cash (transport, processing, vault management, etc) to be between 0.5 per cent and 1.5 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) depending on the market.

By digitising cash payment and formalising the shadow economy, the government will see increased transparency, cost savings, greater efficiencies, fraud reduction, enhanced security and socio-economic growth. The CBN has also recognised the importance of cashless payment through its cashless policy. The national eID programme strongly supports this initiative.

What is your role in the national ID card programme?

As part of the pilot programme, we are providing the payments

interview

‘National e-ID Card Will Help CBN Reduce Financial Exclusion’ The division president, SubSaharan Africa, MasterCard Corporation, Mr Daniel Monehin, in this interview with CHIMA AKWAJA talks about the controversy surrounding the company’s role in the national electronic identity card (eID) programme and its benefits to the economy, financial inclusion and other issues.

Monehin

technology on the national eID card that enables cardholders to make safe and secure electronic payment and transact electronically in Nigeria and across the border. We are not involved in the identification component of the programme and cannot access the national identification database or any citizen’s personal or biometric information.

We never collect personal information of cardholders.

All payments account specific information is managed by MasterCard’s issuing financial institution (banks). All personal identification data, including biometric and demographic information, is collected, managed and secured by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). We are involved in the payment applet, which is just one of the national eID card’s 13 applications, out of which five are live. The payment applet uses MasterCard’s EuroPay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV) prepaid technology.

What security features are on the national eID card?

The national eID card is a chip and personal identification number (PIN) card certified

according to the EMV standard for globally interoperable, secure payment, which is mandated by the government of Nigeria, and it is approved and licenced by the CBN. The key element of the EMV includes dynamic digital data in every transaction. This makes these types of transaction extremely secured and reduces the risk of fraud.

When a consumer uses an EMV-enabled card to pay at an EMV terminal, it can be instantly identify as an authentic, approved payment instrument belonging to that consumer through a process called dynamic authentication.

When used with a PIN, the chip verifies that the consumer is indeed holding his or her payment card. A prepaid card is a payment card that can be loaded with money by the cardholder or someone else. It offers cardholders convenience and control.

The national eID card includes MasterCard’s prepaid functionality and will offer financial inclusion to millions of people once it is issued to all Nigerians. It is like a virtual account and citizens do not need to do anything else to open this account on

their national eID cards. For making payments, cards are more secure than carrying cash which if lost or stolen is gone forever. They can also be used by bank customers to segment and shop online or for citizens who do not want to carry cash.

The payments functionality on the national eID card will help reduce the volume of cash in circulation in the economy.

Why does the national eID card carry MasterCard brand mark?

The national eID card that is being issued as part of the national eID card pilot programme has the MasterCard brand mark displayed at the back of the card. The brand mark is not MasterCard’s corporate logo nor is it an advertisement for the company. It is what makes the electronic payment component of the eID card accepted as a means of payment at millions of merchant locations and automated teller machines (ATMs) that display the MasterCard acceptance mark in Nigeria and across the border.

It is standard practice for a card with payment functionality to have a brand mark which is the logo that ensures the card is accepted as it is a guarantee to the seller to go ahead and give the buyer goods with the confidence that payment would be received later. If it is not there when the cardholder presents the card, questions will be asked about its payment functionality and this will not foster acceptance and usage.

Already, MasterCard’s payment technology and trademarks are being used by banks, thereby guaranteeing best practices and international acceptance.

Do citizens have to use the National eID card as a payment card?

Activating the payment applet is optional. Using the national eID card as a payment tool, cardholders can deposit funds, receive social benefit, save, pay for goods and services and withdraw cash at any of the millions of MasterCard acceptance locations in Nigeria and globally or engage in many other financial transactions that are facilitated by electronic payment (e.g. online transactions, bill payments, etc).

There are millions of merchants and ATMs that accept MasterCard payment cards in Nigeria and in over 210 countries globally. For example, cardholders can pay (online and physical) for goods and services at any retail store, restaurants, hotels, service companies, businesses or any other merchant that displays the MasterCard acceptance mark. Cardholders can also withdraw cash at any ATM that displays the mark.

The national e-ID card includes MasterCard’s prepaid functionality and will offer financial inclusion to millions of people once it is issued to all Nigerians

20 CAPITAL MARKET/BUSINESS

Monday, January 12, 2015

CAPITAL MARKET REPORTS

Analysts Call For Retail Patronage Of Market

Ikeja Hotel, Others Lead 2014 Best Performing Stocks Stories By Bukola Idowu, Lagos

Banking and financial services are also much likely to grow faster this year than what they experienced last year

Assessing the best performing stocks using price appreciation for 2014, showed that despite the decline the Nigerian capital market recorded in 2014, some companies stocks enjoyed solid price gain, showing that lowpriced stocks, otherwise known as penny stocks, dominated the highest returns table.

2014 year-to-date analysis of the stock market showed that Ikeja Hotel had a yearly return of 380.52 per cent from an opening price in 2014 of 77 kobo to close the year at N3.70; Premier Breweries gained 373.75 per cent to close the year at N3.79 while Forte Oil has a yearly return of 144.54 per cent to close at N227.10.

Others are Seven Up which appreciated by 131.65 per cent to close at N165.40, Beta Glass went up by 91.6 per cent to close at N27.78, Custodian rose by 66 per cent to at N3.62 while Stanbic IBTC rose by 28 per cent to close at N28.

Union Dicon, Mobil and Mansard Insurance gained 27.2 per cent, 26.5 per cent and 24.4 per cent yearly return respectively.

Capital market analysts have said these companies would continue to offer significant upside potential with limited downside risk in 2015, favoured by government and demand and

supply factors.

They attributed Forte Oil’s and Seven Up’s exemplary price appreciation and growth on the bourse to the companies’ incremental performances in 2014 and Forte Oil’s investment in the power sector seen by many as the next nexus of growth in the economy.

The managing director of Highcap Securities Limited, Mr David Adonri, noted that despite the downtrend in the stock market in 2014, some stocks had an impressive performance in the year. He pointed out that investors’ interest should be focused on conglomerate companies in 2015.

They should consider stocks that have fundamentals as most of the multi-national companies are also doing well and regulatory policies have favoured them and listed the likes of Cadbury, Dangote Cement, Oando, Transcorp and Forte Oil as good stocks investors should look out for in 2015.

The chief research officer, Investdata Consulting Limited, Ambrose Omordion, pointed out that investors should position themselves for 2015 in stocks with value and companies that have great value for shareholders. He advised investors to look for the various indicators: companies’ earnings,

product, management, renovation, before investing, adding that, for example, Transcorp became the toast of investors overnight because it is diversifying into housing, power, oil and gas on its own.

Transcorp is a conglomerate and this is impacting on its result positively.

According to a stockbroker, Mr Tunde Oyediran, the oil and gas and conglomerate sub-sector would lead market performance in 2015. He based his opinion on the level of activities in the oil and gas sector and anticipated programmes of government to privatise the refineries.

“I see the oil and gas sector taking the lead followed by the conglomerate sub-sector.

Diversified companies are also going to be money spinning stocks this year. Banking and financial services are also much likely to grow faster this year than what they experienced last year,” he said.

He urged investors to continue to invest based on the principles of sound fundamentals at good entry prices, “bearing in mind that in a bear market, stocks with good fundamentals have the capacity to retain value, and even when their prices crash, they are the quickest off-the-mark in price appreciation when the market sentiment becomes bullish.”

The capital market analysts have called retail investors to invest in the Nigerian stock market considering the attractive low price at which most stocks are trading, noting that despite the downturn in the market, this is the best time for retail investors to come to the market as most of the stocks are trading below their intrinsic values, before fund managers review their investing portfolios for the year which would lead to a market rally.

The Nigerian equities market sustained bearish trading in the first trading week of 2015 as the index closed deep in red, dropping by 13.03 per cent following the 16.14 per cent negative returns it closed in 2014.

The managing director of APT Securities and Funds Limited, Mallam Garuba Kurfi, said that this is the time for local investors and retail investors to return and position themselves in the market.

He explained that the fund manager would soon return to the market after studying the sectors to invest in and review their budgets and this would lead to market rally.

Market Community Awaits Appointment Of SEC DG

Following the expiration of the tenure of the director-general of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh, whose tenure has been eventful and challenging, stakeholders have said they are waiting for the federal government to either re-appoint her or bring in a new person as the director-general of the commission.

Her tenure has officially expired in line with the five-year single tenure limit stipulated by the Investment and Securities Act 2007, and in line with this, there have been several calls for and against her re-appointment.

To this end, stakeholders have remained divided on the issue with those calling for her reappointment hinging their claim on continuity of policy and reforms, and others are calling for a fresh breath in the regulations of the SEC. A stockbroker who spoke on anonymity said that given the difficult economic situation and negative outlook of the Nigerian economic environment in 2015 and beyond, an experienced regulator, transparency campaigner and enforcer like Arunma Oteh could be retained to continue the on-going reforms in the market.

FBN Insurance Takes Over Oasis Insurance

A subsidiary of the FBN Holdings Plc, the FBN Insurance Limited, has concluded the takeover of Oasis Insurance Plc having acquired 71.2 per cent equity interest through a block divestment in February 2014.

Following the conclusion, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has delisted Oasis Insurance Plc from its daily official list, saying that the insurance firm applied to be delisted after the FBN Insurance concluded the takeover of the company.

It explained that the FBN Insurance had acquired 71.2 per cent equity interest through a block divestment in February 2014 before concluding the takeover after successfully bidding for the remaining 28.8 per cent equity interest. It said, “In accordance with the Rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the FBN Insurance Limited made a mandatory takeover bid for the remaining 28.8 per cent equity interest in Oasis Insurance.

money market/BUSINESS 21 money MARKET REPORTS

Monday, January 12, 2015

2,544 BDCs Meet Recapitalisation Deadline

Cybercrime

e-Fraud: Banks Advise Customers On Protection Stories By Bukola Idowu, Lagos

Customers are also warned not to click on links, download files or open attachments in emails from unknown senders

Banks are intensifying the fight against fraud by educating their customers on how to protect themselves from card fraud.

This is coming ahead of the anti-fraud week being planned for the first quarter of the year by the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF).

The chairman of NeFF and director, Banking and Payments System Compliance at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Dipo Fatokun, had late last year explained the purpose of the anti-fraud week. According to him, it will be a week devoted to anti-fraud activities, where all the operators in the system, in just one week, will sensitise, educate, and inform the banking populace, so that everybody will be aware of how they can protect themselves, their accounts and assets against fraudsters.

Consequently, banks have begun sending emails to their customers to intimate them on how to protect themselves from card and electronic fraud. Customers are warned to protect information about their financial transactions, particularly their cards, to avoid falling prey to fraudsters.

This advice is coming on the backdrop of increasing automated teller machines

(ATMs)-related frauds within and outside the shores of the country leading to financial losses on the part of banks’ customers.

Sterling Bank’s group head, Strategy and Communications, Mr Shina Atilola, while speaking on card frauds, expressed regret that fraudsters have taken advantage of the cashlite policy introduced by the CBN to penetrate electronic payment systems globally.

He noted that although the card payment system in Nigeria is based on the chip and personal identification number (PIN) technology, which is adequately protected, some other countries have not fully adopted this technology.

“What is used in some countries is the magnetic strip technology which makes it easy for fraudsters to clone customers’ cards and fraudulently make use of their card information. Also, some people do not exercise sufficient caution in the manner they handle their debit and credit cards as they either expose it to unauthorised persons or give it out to other people to make withdrawals or transact on their behalf,” he explained.

Some bank officials who spoke with LEADERSHIP urged customers to be cautious of emails that come from

unrecognised senders, adding that they should not respond to any asking to confirm personal or financial information online.

Also customers are warned to be cautious of emails that ask them to call a phone number to update their account information as this has become a regular trend amongst the fraudsters. Bank customers are almost on a daily basis being sent unsolicited emails purportedly from their banks or banks that they do not have accounts with urging them to update their account information online.

However, banks have continually warned customers about updating their account information online as no bank would ask customers to update their personal information online. Customers are also warned not to click on links, download files or open attachments in emails from unknown senders.

Aside these, bank customers are also enjoined not to send personal or financial information using email, as they are not secure. “For all your online transactions, look for a sign that the site is secure such as a padlock icon on the browser’s status bar or a ‘https:,’” a customer service staff of a new generation bank said.

Six months after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) raised the capital base and mandatory deposit for bureaux de change in the country the number of licenced operators have increased to 2,544.

On June 23, 2014, the CBN had given BDC operators less than a month to shore up their capital base from N10 million to N35 million, and also raised the mandatory cautionary deposit to N35 million, in a move to reduce the number of licensed BDC operators in the country, a policy that was criticised by many.

However, data issued by the CBN on its website at the weekend showed that the number of licenced BDC operators have increased to nearly 3,000. As at August last year, when the recapitalisation deadline ended, a total of 2,442 BDC operators had been able to raise the required capital.

The CBN, last year, banned banks from selling dollars purchased through its intervention sales to each other, or to the bureaux de change. It also imposed a limit of 10 kobo margin on the sale of such dollars to customers, and stated that such dollars must be returned within two days if they are not sold by the banks.

The apex bank also recently gave a directive that banks maintain net open position at the close of each business day, and extended the restrictions to banks’ customers buying foreign exchange.

The CBN directed that foreign exchange bought by bank customers must be utilised within 48 hours (two days) after which unutilised funds must be returned to the CBN for repurchase. It, last week, temporarily reviewed downwards the net open position of banks from one to zero per cent.

CBN Postpones Oil/ Gas Industry Risk Mitigation Regulation The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has postponed the application of its regulation on the Oil and Gas Industry Credit Risk Mitigation till further notice due to the ongoing implementation of the Basel II/III capital adequacy framework.

In a letter signed by K. O. Balogun, on behalf of the director of Banking Supervision, and issued to all bank, the apex bank said that a new date would be communicated to all banks in due course.

The CBN in the letter stressed that banks are, however, “required to put in place adequate risk mitigating techniques for the management of their oil and gas risk exposures which would be reviewed during our regular risk-based supervision activities.”

Last year the apex bank had warned banks of the consequences of the falling oil price on loan advances to the oil and gas as well as the public sector, pointing out that the oil prices could decline further. In the letter with the subject “Oil and Gas Industry Credit Risk Mitigation” signed by the CBN director, Banking Supervision, Mrs Tokunbo Martins, the apex bank, said, “Considering the quantum of exposure to the oil and gas sector, combined with risk management deficiencies revealed by the recent risk-based supervision, there is a need to proactively guard against a crystallisation of these risks. The CBN, therefore, considers it essential to ensure that banks have sufficient capital buffers to mitigate these escalating risk taking activities.”

22 BUSINESS/insurance

Monday, January 12, 2015

‘Fraudsters Penetrate Pension Scheme’

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

When the federal government observed some lapses in the 2004 Pension Act, the intention was to lace pension administration with rigid security features to protect pensioners’ money.

It, therefore, reviewed the law to further strengthen the industry regulator, the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

But operators, both in the insurance industry and pension administration, have adopted illicit steps to sustain their businesses at the expense of contributors.

Ultimately, the Pension Reform Act 2004 ushered in a uniformed Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for workers in both the private and public sectors in Nigeria.

The implementation of the law started in June 2004, and reformed the crisis-ridden, unfunded and under-funded defined benefit pension schemes in the country. Before then, the huge and increasing pension liabilities in the public sector needed to be addressed and most workers in the private sector were not covered by any form of retirement benefit scheme. The inefficient administration of pension schemes and demographic shifts made defined benefit scheme unsustainable.

Under the new CPS, both employers and employees were mandated to contribute certain percentage of an employee’s total emoluments into a Retirement Savings Account (RSA) opened by the worker with a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA).

The scheme, which is complemented by a group life insurance to the tune of 300 per cent of the individual worker’s emolument, also allows withdrawals under strict conditions. The accumulated pension assets in the custody of the Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs) are being privately managed by the PFAs while the PenCom regulates and supervises pension operators.

Putting the challenges, gains, implementation drive and sustainability of the CPS into perspective, it is evident that breakthroughs have been recorded in the last 10 years.

The number of contributors has increased; more workers in the private and informal sectors

are covered and the scheme has continued to impact positively on the Nigerian economy.

The CPS had generated a pool of long term investible funds that is attractive to fund managers, investment advisers and capital market operators who want to access part of the fund for different purposes.From the lessons learnt, identified loopholes and areas for improvement, the stage was set for the amendment of the enabling law. The amendments were to take care of shortfalls in coverage, address supervisory and enforcement challenges, correct anomalies in the taxation of pension assets and enable deployment of the pension fund to develop infrastructure.

There was need to criminalise fraudulent diversion and conversion of retirement savings of workers and retirees and bring the pension reform law in tune with current developments. The above necessitated a change in the strategy with a view to exploring new investment windows for pension funds among other things. However, today bitter rivalry between the insurance industry and the pension sector has thrown up serious unprofessional practices. The insurance industry claim that all over the world pension fund management is placed under the insurance sector but in Nigeria the government has separated administration of pension, thus, creating another institution to manage pension funds.

In an interview with LEADERSHIP recently, the president of the Nigeria Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mr Oladapo Shoderu, lamented the decision to deny the insurance sector from managing pension funds.

Shoderu did not even believe that the present structure could be properly managed and expressed fears that if professionals are disregarded in the management of this critical sector, the pension industry, it might be possible to experience the ugly trend that characterised the management of pensioners money.

Under the present structure, pensioners who opt for annuity choose an insurance company licenced by the National

Pensioners

Insurance Commission (NaiCom) to manage their retirement benefits while those under programmed withdrawal have their funds with the PFA licenced by the PenCom. But of recent, some insurance brokers who want to sustain their businesses embarked on a campaign of denigration to persuade contributors to opt for annuity. It came to a point where such brokers would forge letters of consent on behalf of contributors and forward to the PenCom seeking transfer of their funds into their care.

Leadership gathered that the PenCom has unearthed such criminal moves and is investigating them.

A competent source within the regulatory agency told our correspondent that many cases are under investigation and perpetrators would be punished.

“This is a violation of the Pensions Act and if this is allowed to happen, then, the industry is threatened and that is why we are ensuring that we enforce all aspects of the law,” the source said.

The source further revealed that apart from the brokers’ threat, those under the funded pension scheme face similar problems. According to her, because government is not regular in the pension payment, fraudsters now approach frustrated pensioners to pay certain amounts of money to enable them approach the pensions’ office to process their payment.

“We are receiving all kinds of complaints here and the

fraudsters are taking advantage of the situation of pensioners in the old scheme to swindle them and now some operators in the industry are adopting dubious ways to confuse contributors on annuity,” the source observed.

A pension annuity is a financial product which converts a lump sum of capital into a regular income at the age of retirement.By paying into a fund throughout one’s working life, one will build up a lump sum of capital which will become one’s pension fund. At the point retirement, this lump sum will be used to purchase an annuity which will provide a regular income for one for the rest of one’s life.

Using the same philosophy as an insurance policy, a pension annuity is a way of saving now to ensure financial protection at retirement.

A retiree on programmed withdrawal (PW) with a PFA can move to another PFA. The retiree can change to annuity with an insurance company if he or she opts for that. But it should be known that under the scheme return on investment belongs to the retiree in his retirement savings account (RSA). The PFAs under PW forward daily and monthly return to the PenCom and the retiree receives a periodic RSA statement. Under the PW, retiree’s assets are held by a programme fund custodian (PFC) but a retiree on annuity with an insurance company can move to another insurance company after two years.

A retiree on annuity with

an insurance company cannot change to PW with any PFA as the fund is in the annuity pool with an insurance company.The return on investment belongs to the pool while the insurance companies are to forward monthly and quarterly returns to the Naicom. No statement of account is given and annuity retiree assets are held by the insurance company.

Under the Pension Act, a retiring employee has an option of purchasing Life Annuity or Programmed Withdrawal or a combination of both but cannot be compelled by any person or entity to choose between Life Annuity and Programmed Withdrawal.

Annuity contract, for the purpose of the regulation, is Life Annuity which lasts over the lifetime of the retiree and once the contract is sealed, a retiree cannot change from Life Annuity to Programmed Withdrawal.

Where a retiree chooses to withdraw a lump sum before purchasing annuity, the amount required to purchase annuity must first be determined before any such lump sum withdrawal can be effected. The amount proposed for the purchase of Life Annuity by a retiree must not be less than 50 per cent of his annual remuneration as at the date of his retirement, as required by the Act. A retiree can change his insurer but not earlier than two years after the execution of an annuity contract while the guaranteed period must not be less than 10 years.

23

Monday, January 12, 2015

The Presidency

NATIONAL HAJJ COMMISSION OF NIGERIA (NAHCON) Sokoto House, No. 1 First Avenue, Off Ahmadu Bello Way, Abuja.

APPLICATION FOR AIRLIFT OF NIGERIAN PILGRIMS UNDER STATE PILGRIMS' WELFARE BOARDS/AGENCIES/COMMISSIONS FOR HAJJ 2015 Interested Nigerian/Foreign airlines/carriers with requisite operating authorization and experience are hereby invited to submit applications for airlift of pilgrims under the State Muslim Pilgrims' Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions from Nigeria to and from Saudi Arabia for 2015 Hajj.

2.

The outbound airlift of intending Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia is expected to start in the second week of August, 2015, while the inbound (return journey) is expected to commence during the last week of September, 2015. The airlift operations will be conducted at sixteen (16) designated Hajj airports in Nigeria and two (2) in Saudi Arabia.

xxii) Foreign applicants are also required to submit the above mentioned documents or their equivalents.

6.

Each applicant must appear for screening on a date to be communicated after the receipt of the application. Originals of all documents submitted should be made available for sighting during the screening.

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS TO BE FULFILLED BY SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS 8.

3.

Applicants are to note that, Boeing 747-300 and newer series aircraft with capacity to carry a minimum of 450 passengers or other wide-bodied aircraft with capacity to carry a minimum of 300 passengers are required for the operation. The aircraft to be used for the operation must meet the safety requirements of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).

i)

CONDITIONS OF APPLICATION: 4.

Each applicant must be active (operationally) and possess a valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC) with verifiable evidence of ownership or acquisition of serviceable aircraft.

v)

5. i) ii) iii) iv) v) vi) vii)

Viii) ix) x) xi) xii) xiii) xiv) xv) xvi) xvii) xviii) xix) xx) xxi)

Applicants are also required to submit the following: Evidence of Incorporation/Registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) or its equivalent for foreign applicants.

Certified true copy of CAC forms C02 and C07 or its equivalent in the case of foreign applicants.

Copies of relevant Licences Evidence of financial capability to fund the airlift operation.

Three years audited Company Financial Accounts.

Three years Tax Clearance Certificates.

Evidence of non-indebtedness to relevant aviation authorities and service providers either in Nigeria or in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, evidence of clearance from indebtedness to NCAA, NAMA, FAAN and SAHCOL or NAHCO must be provided.

Details/specifications of aircraft to be used Verifiable written evidence of ownership or partnership/agreement with the owners of aircraft as confirmed by the NCAA. Evidence of ability to make available an authentic flight schedule for the operation not less than four (4) weeks before the commencement of airlift.

Proposal for Luggage and Passenger Screening (Security) arrangements in Saudi Arabia.

Proposal for in-flight Catering Services in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia with details; name(s) and addresses of caterers clearly stated and subject to inspection and approval by relevant regulatory authorities and the Commission.

Proposal for Crew accommodation during the operation in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

Arrangements for over flight clearance, en-route and landing permits. In addition, foreign carriers shall provide evidence or relevant authorization to operate direct flight between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

Proposal for Ground Handling services in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

Arrangements with fuel suppliers in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

Evidence of installation of EGPWS as required by NCAA and GACA. Evidence of installation of an aircraft tracker/transponder as confirmed by NCAA. Proposal for airfreight of 5 litre Zamzam water per pilgrim during the first or second phase of the airlift operation.

Organizational structure with names, qualifications and schedule of duties of the key staff of the company.

Insurance which must meet the minimum third party (hull, passenger, baggage/cargo and third party) liability limit set by NCAA.

ii) iii) iv)

vi) vii) viii) ix)

Successful applicants, screened and approved by the Government shall: Provide confirmed arrangements on items numbers xi - xix in paragraph 5 Provide verifiable evidence on item number xx in paragraph 5 Provide an Advance Payment Guarantee (APG) to the tune of 50% of the total contract sum.

Pay NAHCON Hajj airlift licence (Clearance) fee of N2,000,000.00 (two million Naira) to the Commission.

Execute an Airlift Agreement which contains the terms and conditions of the airlift operation.

Operational center(s)during the airlift are to be opened based on the number of aircraft deployed for the operation by each line.

Confirm arrangements for procurement and delivery of the five (5) liters zamzam water for pilgrims.

Confirm arrangement(s) for the 50% or 100% direct flight to Madina.

Confirm arrangement(s) for departure out of Madina of any number of pilgrims that could not travel to Madina before Hajj.

MODE OF APPLICATION 9.

Prospective applicants shall apply by: i) Submitting a written application addressed to: The Chairman/CEO, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, No 1 First Avenue, Off Ahmadu Bello Way,Central Business District, Abuja. ii) Pay a non-refundable application fee of N1,000,000.00 (one million Naira) in certified bank draft payable to National Hajj Commission of Nigeria. iii) Collect an application form from the Secretary of the Commission at the Commission Headquarters on the above mentioned address. iv) Complete and submit the application Form along with copies of all relevant documents on or before the period indicated below.

SUBMISSION OF THE APPLICATION FORM 10.

Duly completed Application Forms should be submitted to: The Chairman/CEO, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Sokoto House, No. 1 First Avenue, Off Ahmadu Bello Way, Central Business District, Abuja, not later than four (4) weeks from the date of publication of this advertisement.

Note 11.

Please be informed that this application is not intended to create any form of contractual relationship or obligations on the part of NAHCON. Consequently, NAHCON shall not be liable to any applicant for any expenses or loss incurred in connection with this application. NAHCON will contact the shortlisted Applicants for interview at the appropriate time.

Signed Management

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Monday, January 12, 2015

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Monday, January 12, 2015

Who Makes The List Of The Right Candidates To Be Voted In 2015 General Elections

THE A must read!

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healthful

Monday, January 12, 2015

. . . C O N D U C I V E TO G O O D H E A LT H O F B O D Y O R M I N D

Lowering Blood Sugar

Poverty Makes Diabetes Care Tougher, Study Reports

Exclusive Breastfeeding Can Reduce Infant Mortality In Nigeria By 800,000 According to experts, breastfeeding can prevent the deaths of many babies. VICTOR OKEKE writes that focusing on it alone can reduce infant mortality drastically.

E

xclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months can reduce child deaths by at least 800,000 each year - almost 15% of the total 6.3 million annual child deaths. Babies who are not breastfed are particularly vulnerable to the leading killers of small children and are 15 times more likely to die from pneumonia and 11 times more likely to die from diarrhea, compared to babies who are exclusively breastfed.

According to Leith Greenslade, Vice-Chair at the MDG Health Alliance, “It is not that women don’t understand the value of breastfeeding. Surveys repeatedly show that new mothers across many countries know that breast is best for babies.

However new mothers are concerned that they don’t have enough milk or time; that they experience pain, exhaustion and rejection from their babies; that they feel awkward breastfeeding in pub-

lic; that spouses are often unsupportive and that it’s just too hard to breastfeed and work. And don’t forget that although world health authorities recommend exclusive breast-feeding for 6 months most countries don’t offer maternity leave beyond three, and typically without pay.”

UNICEF’s landmark 2013 report, Breastfeeding on the Worldwide Agenda, outlines a powerful argument for change describing the current environment as “policy rich” but “implementation poor”.

At the same time, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s flagship breastfeeding investment Alive & Thrive - is demonstrating that large increase in breastfeeding are possible with multi-sector action to shift attitudes among new mothers, the behavior of employers and the policies of governments. With this approach, the exclusive breastfeeding rate in the Vietnamese project sites has risen from 19 to 63% and across the Bangladesh sites from 49 to 83% in just three years.

Despite this evidence, rates of early and exclusive breastfeeding are very low in Nigeria and are not improving much. The 2013 Nigerian Demographic & Health Survey reports that although almost all babies (98%) are breastfed in Nigeria, only a minority of mothers (33%)

achieves the WHO-recommended initiation within one hour of birth and continues to breastfeed exclusively for six months (17%). Further, an alarming 70% of newborns born at home are fed something other than breast milk during the first three days of life compared to 40% in health facilities.

Today in Nigeria, the babies most likely to be breastfed within an hour of birth are delivered by a doctor, nurse or midwife at a health facility in an urban area (40%), and the babies least likely to start breastfeeding early are delivered without any assistance, at home in rural areas (30%). There is a large range in early initiation rates by States, with the highest rates in Kogi (74%), Kwara (71%), Borno (68%), Abia (64%), Edo (55%) and the Federal Capital Territory-Abuja (51%), and the lowest rates in Kebbi (8%), Zamfara (12%), Taraba (14%), Ebonyi (17%), Katsina (18%) and Lagos (20%).

In general, breastfeeding rates are highest in the North Central and South South Zones and lowest in the North West and South West Zones. Across Nigeria, the mothers most likely to start breastfeeding early and continue for six months exclusively have higher levels of education and incomes.

For example, 40 per cent of mothers in rich households breastfeed

Top 7 causes of Death in Nigeria

➊Malaria 20% Lower ➋ Respiratory Infections 19%

➌HIV 9% Diarrheal ➍ Diseases 5% Inju➎Road ries 5% Protein➏ Energy Malnutrition 4%

➐Cancer 3%

People with diabetes who have difficulty paying for food, medicine and other basic needs also have trouble managing their diabetes, a new study finds.

Those who have trouble paying for food or medicine had the highest risk of poor diabetes control, according to the study. Poor control means higher blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure than normal, the researchers said.

“If we do not try to address these needs specifically, we may make little progress in improving health for vulnerable diabetes patients,” he said.

Historically, patients come in for office visits or hospitalizations, but most of their time -- the time that determines their overall health -- is spent outside the health care system, Berkowitz noted.

Health care systems are being held accountable for health outcomes, but these outcomes may be determined by situations that most health care systems have limited experience dealing with, he said.

“This study suggests that simply increasing access to health care that does not address root causes of illness may be missing a big piece of what patients need to stay healthy and manage their illnesses,” Berkowitz said.

“Changes in health care financing could encourage health care delivery systems to think about population health management in a way that gives room to address issues not classically thought of as medical, like unmet basic needs,” he said.

Medicaid is likely to be helpful, especially for prescription medication coverage, he said.

As for where people can turn for help, Berkowitz said that unfortunately, there isn’t a single easy answer.

Social services -- both public and private -- in the United States are a “patchwork” so the answer will be different for each person, he said.

Dr. Joel Zonszein, director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, said, “As can be expected, the more ‘insecurities,’ the worse the outcomes.”

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Monday, January 12, 2015

2012

Nigeria witnessed a monumental flood disaster in 2012 with many people displaced from their homes in many of the states affected

70%

The primary health care system by standards is meant to be closer to the people and to manage over 70% of the disease burden .

Choose The Right Mattress For A Sound Sleep!

Healthy sleep habits or a sound sleeping pattern can make a big difference in your quality of life.

And to achieve that, it’s essential to choose a mattress that helps you sleep well, according to your needs and daily work schedules.

Apart from choosing a mattress that is comfortable and supportive, one needs to stick to a regular bedtime and wakeup time, even on the weekends.

For the healthy busy youngsters who get basic required sleep: Pick a medium soft or firm mattress to take care of your daily sleep needs. Pick a mattress that is tailored to deal with the body’s

Daily Avocado Consumption Cuts Heart Disease Risk Adding an avocado to your daily diet helps lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, a study says.

“Including one avocado each day as part of a moderate-fat, cholesterollowering diet provides additional LDL (bad cholesterol) lowering affects which benefit CVD (cardiovascular disease) risk,” said Penny Kris-Etherton, professor

Beer-digesting Bacteria Found To Fight Disease Bacteria that have evolved to help us digest the yeast that give beer and bread their bubbles could also aid in fighting off yeast infections and autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s disease, new research has found.

The findings could accelerate the development of prebiotic medicines to help people suffering from bowel problems and autoimmune diseases, the researchers noted.

Evolving over the 7,000 years that people have been eating fermented food and drink, the ability of a common gut bacterium called Bacteroides thetaiotomicron to degrade yeasts is almost exclusively found in the human gut, the findings showed.

“One of the big surprises in this study was that B. thetaiotaomicron is so specifically tuned to recognise the complex carbohydrates present in yeasts, such as those present in beer, wine and bread,” said Eric Martens.

Culled from HealthDay

pressure points and helps in relieving aches and pains, help in reducing tossing and turning.

Pick a mattress with larger surface area for their movements and visco elastic memory foam which reduces pressure points between shoulders, neck and back. It cradles the head and neck in proper sleep position.

Pick a mattress which is firm enough for exact support to body contour for maximum comfort to your sleep. Pick a mattress which is lightweight, but gives firm support with cosiness and bounce.

This helps in eliminating fatigue.

Culled from ScienceDaily

DNA Discovery Makes Possible New Treatment For Illnesses

at Pennsylvania State University.

Avocados are known to be a nutrient-dense food, high in monounsaturated fatty acids. Previous studies have suggested that avocados are a cholesterol-lowering food, but this is the first study to look at health implications of avocados beyond monounsaturated fatty acids, the researchers added.

New Zealand and Australian scientists have observed DNA moving between animal cells in a breakthrough discovery that could lead to better understanding of a range of human diseases and new gene therapies.

The team led by Mike Berridge, professor in the independent Wellington-based Malaghan Institute, claimed to be the first in the world to demonstrate mitochondrial DNA movement between cells in an animal tumour.

The research laid important groundwork for understanding human diseases other than cancer, since defective mitochondrial DNA was known to account for around 200 diseases and was implicated in many more, Xinhua cited Berridge as saying in a statement Wednesday.

Culled from ScienceDaily

Culled from MedicineNet

Cocoa-rich Diets Could Improve Memory Diets rich in cocoa flavanols - bioactives found naturally in cocoa - can help arrest age-related memory decline in healthy adults, a study shows.

“The results of this study are encouraging - they support the idea that diet, and specifically a diet rich in cocoa flavanols, can play an important role in maintaining cognitive health as we age,” said lead author Giovambattista Desideri from the University of L’Aquila in Italy.

The study involved men and women aged 6185 years. Among those individuals who regularly consumed either the high- or intermediate-flavanol drinks, there were significant improvements in overall cognitive function after eight weeks.

As cognitive function was normal for this aged population, the study showed that even cognitively healthy individuals can quickly benefit from the regular inclusion of cocoa flavanols in their diets.

The new research trial was carried out with a special cocoa flavanol test product, designed to deliver a standardised amount of flavanols within a nutritionally suitable drink.

Culled from HealthDay

healthful Q &A I stubbed my toe the other day and it’s still sore. How can I tell if it’s broken?

The only sure way to tell is if the toe is angulated (crooked). If that’s the case, a visit to a doctor is warranted to straighten the toe and put a splint on it. Otherwise, if the swelling is significant and the pain is long-lasting, the more likely it is that the toe is fractured as opposed to just bruised.

Whether it’s worth getting an Xray for confirmation depends on which toe you hurt and how bad the symptoms are. Most broken toes can heal on their own with measures such as rest, applying ice, elevating the foot, and “buddy taping” the toe to an adjacent one. But see a doctor if you hurt the first (“big”) toe, since it’s so important for movement. And get immediate help if you have numbness and tingling, an open wound or bleeding, or persistent pain or swelling, which could signal a fracture complication such as an infection or impaired circulation.

Culled from Guide to Better Health

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Monday, January 12, 2015

8,000

Over 8,000 people have died from the rampaging Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic globally.

1.9m

The federal government has said that Abia State requires about 1.9 million long lasting mosquitotreated nets and 19,000 personnel to replace insecticidal nets in the state.

F E AT U R E S N E W S T I P S I N T E R V I E W

Top 6

RISK FACTORS IN DIABETES MELLITUS Obesity: It has led to a dramatic rise in the incidence of Type 2 diabetes among children and adolescent.

➊

➋

Poor dietary habits: High

intake of foods high in saturated fats and low in dietary fibre increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

➌

Aging:

Mothers receiving lectures on family planning

Unplanned Births, Maternal Mortality And Role Of Family Planning

With unplanned births and maternal mortality remaining a burden in the country, a survey has revealed that addressing the unmet need of family planning will alleviate the challenge. Patience Ivie Ihejirika writes .

Top 2 Headline ➊ Eating A

Half-Cup Cabbage Would Provide 47% Of Vitamin C Needs For The Day ➋ Many Nigerians Are Not Eating Right – Pategi

Esther Baba, a 37-year old widow would not stop lamenting her challenges with regard to raising her five children all alone.

The widow who lives with her children in a one room apartment in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, said her life would have been better even with her husband’s death, if only she had had knowledge of family planning.

Wishing she could change the hand of clock, Esther said she had her five children within the space of eight years, adding if she had accessed family planning, she would have probably had two or three children within the period.

Her case is just one of the many cases of people, especially women who are facing the consequences of unintended births in the country.

The 2013 National Demography and Health Survey (NDHS) reveals that addressing the unmet family planning need will avert close to 1.6 million unintended births and reduce maternal deaths by 40 per cent.

The survey shows knowledge of family planning in the country to be 85 percent while actual use is only 10 percent. It also indicates that almost twice the number of women who currently use modern contraceptives are in need of limiting or spacing births but are not using

any means of contraception.

A communique issued at the end of the 3rd Annual Conference on Family Planning, with the theme ‘Bridging the Gaps Between Knowledge and Practice of Family Planning in Nigeria, held in Abuja reaffirmed that bridging the gap between knowledge (85 percent) and practice and use of modern contraceptives (MCPR 10 percent) would not only reduce maternal mortality but would also accelerate fertility decline and promote national development.

It expressed concern on the slow progress of the use of modern contraception as shown by the stagnation and low CPR of 10 percent in the country since 2003 compared to other African countries.

The report also called on government at all levels to ensure everything possible was done to increase the uptake of modern contraceptives in Nigeria to at

least 4.2 percent CPR annually in order to ensure the achievement of the 36 percent CPR by 2018 goal set in the Nigeria Family Planning Blueprint.

Participants at the conference made key recommendations, such as the need for the urgent passage of the National Health Bill that will release resources for reproductive health as well as other health services and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on external donors and funders.

Other recommendations as contained in the communique include “judicious implementation of the country’s family planning blueprint by creating budget lines and increased funding for key activities such as the procurement and distribution of required reproductive health commodities.

Large scale training of health workers for long acting reversible contraceptive services and

Insulin resistance increases with aging giving rise to incidence and prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among the elderly

➍

Physical Inactivity:

increased physical inactivity can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

➎

Walk

Around the

Block You don’t have to spend hours at the gym -- even a little movement can get you in touch with your body and help you regain energy Race: Type 2 diabetes is more common in certain ethnic populations, such as Native Americans.

➏

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Monday, January 12, 2015

Unplanned Births, Maternal Mortality And Role Of Family Planning 28

increased partnership with the private sector.

“Renewed commitments to the population benefits of family planning through the review of the national population policy as well as investing in quality education and health, reproductive health and services for the youth, and improvement in good governance towards reaping the benefits of demographic dividend or youth dividend.”

The stakeholders also urged government to promote active youth participation in the planning, design and implementation of policies especially those related to family planning and reproductive health services and address all barriers that hinder young people’s universal access to the comprehensive sexual reproductive health information and services.

They further recommended a scale up access to comprehensive and youth friendly health information and services for young people including marginalized and most at risk group such as persons with disabilities, people in rural areas and the urban poor through a rights-based approach regardless of sex, age, HIV status or sexual orientation.

However, the blueprint that was launched during the conference indicated the federal government’s willingness to increase the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) to 36 percent by 2018.

It is also intended to increase the current annual budget commitment of $3 million with an additional $8.35 million annually over the next four years thereby, increasing total commitment for the next four years from $12

million to $45.4 million, which would represent an increase of almost 300 percent Also contained in the blueprint is the family planning financing which will involve all levels of government, federal, state, LGAs and external donors, even though many states have no budget for family planning and thus may depend on external donors.

States are to contribute at least 50 percent of family planning funds every year, ensure there are trained staff to provide LARC services in every health facility and strengthen contraceptive logistics management systems.

However, the blueprint noted that despite some recent improvements, challenges remain in poor capacity at lower levels.

It also observed compromised

procurement forecasts, occasional depletion of emergency stock with distribution still an ad hoc system and ongoing sustainability concerns.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has promised to work with the state and local governments to secure complementary budgets for family planning/ reproductive health service delivery as well as train frontline health workers to deliver a range of contraceptives and action to improve equity and access to family planning for the poorest It said it hoped to partner with the private sector, civil society, traditional and religious institutions, and development partners to provide free contraceptives and some life-saving maternal/reproductive health commodities.

States are to contribute at least 50 percent of family planning funds every year, ensure there are trained staff to provide LARC services in every health facility

Eating A Half Cup Of Cabbage Would Provide 47% Of Vitamin C Needs For The Day Consuming fruits and vegetables of all kinds has long been associated with a reduced risk of many adverse health conditions.

VICTOR OKEKE writes on why cabbages should be a ever present part of everyone diet

Researchers have discovered that sulforaphane has the power to inhibit the harmful enzyme histone deacetylase (HDAC), known to be involved in the progression of cancer cells

Cabbage, which is often lumped into the same category as lettuce because of their similar appearance, is actually a part of the cruciferous vegetable family.

According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, one half cup of shredded cabbage (75 grams) contains 17 calories, 4 grams of carbohydrate (including 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of sugar) and 1 gram of protein. Eating a half-cup of cooked cabbage would provide 47% of your vitamin C needs for the day.

It also provides 102 per cent of vitamin K, 8% of manganese, 6% of folate and lesser amounts of vitamin B-6, calcium, potassium and thiamin.

Dr Megan Ware a registered dietitian and nutritionist said that cabbage contains the antioxidants choline, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin as well as the flavonoids kaempferol, quercetin, and apigenin. He however added that red cabbage tends to contain more of these compounds than green cabbage.

Many studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant foods like cabbage decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and overall mortality while promoting a healthy complexion,

increased energy, and overall lower weight.

A cancer-fighting compound found in cabbage is sulforaphane.

Research over the past 30 years has consistently shown that consuming cruciferous vegetables has been associated with a lower risk of cancer. More recently, researchers have been able to pinpoint that the sulfur-containing compounds (namely sulforaphane) that give cruciferous vegetables their bitter bite are also what give them their cancer-fighting power.

More studies with sulforaphane are testing its ability to delay or impede cancer. Promising results have been seen with multiple types of cancers including melanoma, esophageal, prostate and pancreatic. Researchers have discovered that sulforaphane has the power to inhibit the harmful enzyme histone deacetylase (HDAC), known to be involved in the progression of cancer cells. The ability to stop HDAC enzymes could make sulforaphane-containing foods a potentially powerful part of cancer treatment.

Another natural chemical found in cabbage, parsley, celery and other plants known as apigenin has been found to decrease tumor size in an aggressive form of breast cancer in a recent study conducted at the University of Missouri.

Researchers claim that their findings show that apigenin has potential to be used as a non-toxic treatment for cancer in the future.

WebMD Feature

Cabbage

30 HEALTH

Monday, January 12, 2015

Many Nigerians Are Not Eating Right – Pategi

For many people, anything edible is food. But, in this interview with WINIFRED OGBEBO, an entrepreneur, Hajiya Aisha Ahmed Pategi says there is more to food and what it takes to be healthy

I also realized that the people here were not eating healthy because this was where we are supposed to have organic foods, yet I find myself going all the way to abroad to bring all the pizzas and all the rubbish that Americans are actually staying away from. I was like, something needs to be done here because one of the reasons I came back was to come back to my root because it would be an answer to all the things I have always wanted to do. The name of my company is Roots and Origin.

One day, on my way to Kano, they were selling honey on the road but I later discovered that it was fake. For the most part, it was mixed with sugar and what not. It was not pure 100 percent honey.

How is the awareness like?

Pategi How did you venture into organic food?

short BIO OF

Hajiya Aisha Ahmed Pategi

Pategi is an entrepreneur with interest in developing and cultivating an organic culture in Nigeria

I developed interest in organic natural food about seven years ago or so. I was trying to conceive and it wasn’t happening. I had to find out why and I discovered I needed a diet that could help me because I had what is called Ploiesti ovarian syndrome which is called PTOS. It’s almost like type two diabetes, so that led me to do a lot of research and I discovered it’s not like a disease or problem but whatever it is, you just have to make sure to take care of it. Obviously, it’s one of the leading causes of infertility and also obesity, leading to diabetes and what not. The main thing about it is having to make sure you have a healthy eating habit and for the most part, it is said to be hereditary. So that got me reawakened basically and I had to start eating healthy and not just healthy, but making sure to avoid all the chemicals they put in our food, so having to go organic, as pure as you can find it. I did that, got pregnant and ever since, I just stayed on it and when I moved back to Nigeria, about four years ago, I asked myself where I was going to get my organic stuff from.

People are buying into it.

They are waking to the reality of eating healthy, making sure their food is pure and not chemicals.

One of our visions here is to educate and guide people to start using their potentials because for you to be able to use your full potentials, it has to be the mind, body and soul connection.

Without the three, you can’t function properly or use your potentials properly. So one of the first things is to eat right, think positively and exercise.

There’s that aspect of spirituality that goes with it. So it’s all about making people aware that it’s not only eating healthy but that they also have to exercise and when we talk about exercise here, we are not talking about gym and all those stuff, we mean, going back to your roots and that is through meditation, spirituality; do yoga- energy work. How do you get connected back to your root except spirituality?

I got into Dani Yoga about two years ago and it’s amazing. It’s from Korea and what they do is about reawakening yourself to reality. Anytime you feel out of sorts or depressed, there are some techniques you can do that could actually wake you up and help to energise you as opposed to letting yourself go into depression. It’s an amazing work. In Nigeria, people are getting to be more aware of it.

If you look at the human body, it is supposed to be flexible, life and nature ought to be flexible.

When you are born, your body is flexible and when you die, it is stiff. So in order for you to live life and be guided, you are supposed to be flexible. You are supposed to do this by inculcating some certain habits like the Dani Yoga

because it will help you in your flexibility goal.

What is the difference between herbal and organic products?

There isn’t much difference between them. Most scientific medicines come from plants and nature itself. But when you think of herbal, you think of things that are already mixed together, concoction, something to take, etc but when you talk about organic, you are talking about things planted which are completely free of chemicals and what not. When I use herb, it’s a little bit different from something organic because organic encapsulates everything down to even your curtain. You can have herbs that are organic and herbs that are not organic.

Organic are things that are naturally produced from the ground up. Ultimately, anything that is tampered with will always have consequences but if you let nature take its course in anything we do, that is what will last forever.

In your estimation, do you see Nigerians imbibing the organic culture?

They are. A lot of people are excited with what we are doing here. Honestly, there is a need for it. When you look around, there’s so much going on in terms of sickness; today, there are more people that are diabetic, more people have cancer, just name it, the whole nine yards, a lot of people are depressed, so much chaos going on; even our leadership is so dysfunctional.

Honestly, if you go back to the root of the whole problem, it boils down to the mind not being in harmony. And how do you get that to be in harmony?

The first step is to feed the body right because you are what you eat. If you feed your body with the right food, it makes you very happy. In fact, you become a jolly good fellow.

There are certain foods that you eat that will depress you as well. Why do you think people take drugs like marijuana, for example? Let me give you another example. Carrot is an aphrodisiac. So if you have that awareness, you will know what to eat and what not to eat. Walnuts too have the highest antioxidants to it. So a little bit of education will make people understand that they can eat what they want in moderation and also make them to be aware to eat at the right time because the way the human body is created, you’re not supposed to treat it anyhow.

Surgeon’s Turf Dr Biodun Ogungbo MBBS, FRCS, FRCSEd, MSc. Consultant Neurosurgeon

08122221616 (SMS only)

Why I became a neurosurgeon?

Neurosurgery and neurosurgeons Neurology is the specialty dealing with diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the brain and nervous system. A doctor who practices neurology is a neurologist. Neurologists treat stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease patients, and hundreds of other neurological issues, some of which are acute, ongoing, or chronic.

A surgeon who operates on the brain and the nerves is a neurosurgeon (brain surgeon). Neurosurgeons are trained to operate on the brain and the spinal cord for conditions such as brain injury following road traffic accidents, brain tumours, other diseases of the brain and of course, the spine.

They operate on the spine for conditions such as arthritis, infection, spinal cord injuries and tumours.

A brain is the most complex thing that we’ve identified so far in our universe. Being a neurosurgeon is taking hands-on responsibility for the repair of this complex machinery, with no downtime, with everything on the line.

The complexity and high-risk nature of brain surgery contributes to the level of surgical skills and knowledge necessary to become a successful neurosurgeon. The training is therefore long and brutal and the fact is that neurosurgery probably chooses you and not the other way round. Neurosurgery often attracts some of the best and the brightest of the medical field, due to the extremely challenging and dynamic nature of the field. As you can see, if you are interested in becoming a neurosurgeon, you have a long road ahead.

Neurosurgeons must have excellent critical thinking and analytical abilities, plus top surgical skills, optimal dexterity and be able to perform delicate surgeries. There are robotic devices, imaging equipment, and cameras that can assist with the precision of the procedures, so neurosurgeons must also be comfortable with the most advanced, complex technology as well.

Again, the exceptionally high pressure and stress level of neurosurgery careers probably cannot be over-emphasized, so one must be extremely levelheaded, calm, and collected under extreme pressure. However, the financial rewards are great, if you can deal with the high-risk and stress of the field, as are the intrinsic rewards of performing such advanced surgeries that are often life-saving.

It certainly is not for everyone, because you pretty much have to throw your whole life into it. Neurosurgeons must be available at all hours for opinions and emergency surgeries. There is never a dull moment in neurosurgery.

Making choices In making the decision to become a neurosurgeon, I was influenced by many factors. I suppose the first was an interest in medicine anyway. There was also pressure from my father who was quite keen to have a doctor in the family. However, he would have preferred for me to go into obstetrics and gynaecology (women’s problems) or even paediatrics (the care of children). As he says, women and children would always have problems that require doctors! They would always be making babies, bringing more work to do and therefore increase in the profit margin.

Fortunately, I am not interested in profit margins and instead on actually helping people. Moreover, I found women issues tiresome. I am way too emotional and cannot function effectively with sick, unhappy children and their distraught mothers. In medicine, you need some level of emotional detachment to be effective and render quality service not beclouded by feelings.

Then, of course, believe it or not, I decided not to do what my father wanted. I rationalised that it was my life and mine to do as I please.

THE NATION’S CAPITAL 31

Monday, January 12, 2015

Salary Arrears: FCT, ALGON Must Sign MoU, NULGE Insists

By Igho Oyoyo

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has said it will not suspend the seven days ultimatum issued to the six area council chairmen unless it signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON).

This was disclosed by FCT NULGE president, Mr AlHassan Abubakar, after a closed door meeting with members of ALGON, under the chairmanship of the chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Micah Jiba.

According to him, the union’s decision to give the condition on signing the MoU with the FCT chapter of the association became necessary because the council chairmen had failed to fulfill their promise of paying the staff arrears when the union suspended its seven days ultimatum in October, 2013.

He said, “There was a fruitful deliberation between the union and FCT chapter of ALGON. They have promised to commence payan MoU between the union and the association; we hope that before the expiration of the ultimatum by 13 January, 2015, we will be able to come to agreement.”

Insecurity: Cleric Urges Christians To Pray

By Igho Oyoyo

The founder of the Tribe of Judah Foundation, Pastor Judah Richard, has urged Christians to engage the weapon of praise in order to defeat the common enemy threatening the existence of Christianity and Nigeria.

Speaking during the church’s annual youth praise festival in Abuja, Pastor Richard said that Satan has always been the common enemy that wages war on humanity using some “unlucky” agents to perpetuate evil and cause mayhem in the society.

According to him, while Boko Haram is just mercenary used by the devil in causing disaffection among Nigerians, Satan remains the master planner of all evils executed in the nation.

The cleric further said that Nigeria has not only been earmarked as a missionary nation to disciple other African states but also anointed to restore unity in the body of Christ, uniting all true churches and bringing them back to true holiness.

2015: Cleric Tasks Religious Leaders On Objectivity

By Igho Oyoyo

The Pastor in charge of First Baptist Church in Gwagwalada area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rev Julius Ayotunde, has tasked religious leaders to be objective in their comments on the upcoming February, 2015 general elections.

Ayotunde made the call while reacting to the media reports of a popular Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka and the response of the Catholic leadership, and expressed concern over criticism of their prophesies of continuity for the present administration.

He urged religious leaders to allow their members to elect candidates of their choice in next month’s elections, while urging Nigerians not to be afraid of results of the elections, adding that Nigeria will remain strong and more united after the elections.

He advised politicians to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and urged Nigerians to be avoid moneybag politicians and cast their vote according to their conscience.

A man driving an overloaded motorcycle in Nyanya, yesterday photo by dele damisa

150 PDP Members Decamp To APC In AMAC

By Igho Oyoyo

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), at the weekend, suffered a major setback ahead of the general elections as over 150 members of its party decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The members were received by APC stakeholders who include the FCT senatorial candidate, Sen. Sidi Ali and AMAC/Bwari contestant for the National Assembly, Hon. Isa Dara, in Karshi community.

Receiving the members, the state chairman of the party, Alh. Abdulmalik Usman, commended the decampees for their action, which he described as the best towards actualising a better Nigeria, saying that APC is the party to beat

across Nigeria during the 2015 general elections.

Usman promised them that the party would accord them equal and fair treatment which the older members of the party are enjoying.

The chieftain said the APC was out to salvage Nigeria and expressed optimism that it would win the 2015 general elections both at the national and the FCT levels.

He said, “More people will soon join the APC and we will collectively work to ensure the success of the party at all levels during the forthcoming general polls. Those who claim to be representing us at the National Assembly are either deaf, dumb or cannot understand the English spoken at NASS. “I want to encourage the residents to use their voter’s cards to remove the PDP and their

candidates in the FCT because they are only there for their pockets and they have become messengers to the FCT minister that was appointed, not elected by our people. It is time to change them for the future of our children.”

In his remarks, Sen. Sid Ali said the decampees will experience equity and justice in the party, adding that were received in Karshi community

by APC stakeholders, noting that nothing have been done for the interest of the residents since he left the senatorial seat for his successor.

The decampees spokesman, Alh. Jibril Abdullahi, said their action were spurred by the tremendous achievements of the APC in the states they won, saying that candidates provided by the party will guarantee victory in the FCT come 2015 elections.

Residents Appeal To FCTA Over Building Plan

By Chika Mefor

Winning Clause Estate Residents Association, Gwarinpa, Abuja, has appealed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and development control department to facilitate the approval of the building plan of the estate.

A statement issued by the association, at the weekend, said that all legal matters and other outstanding issues between the owner of the estate and the property owners have been resolved amicably.

The residents have also tendered an unreserved apology to all authorities of the FCTA, especially the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed and the

department over the embarrassment that several publications and press releases issued by the residents may have caused them.

According to the association, “Now that the rightful owner of the estate, Winning Clause Limited, has been established all property owners in the estate have resolved to work with FCTA and the owners to move the estate forward.’’

Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) had instituted a legal action on behalf of residents of Plot 67, Kafe District, under the auspices of Saraha/Proform Estate Residents Association at the Abuja High Court, praying the court to set aside the consent judgement delivered by the court last year concerning the property

without taking into consideration the interest of the residents.

In a suit number M/1967/14, Falana stated that the consent judgement which last year gave Winning Clause Limited right to the plot was invalid as the residents’ consent was not sought and obtained before filing the terms of settlement which gave rise to the consent judgement.

Mr. Falana also averred that Winning Clause Limited and others did not disclose to the court that the consent judgement would affect the right and interest of the residents over the property to afford the court the opportunity of joining the applicants in the suit before delivering a consent judgement in the said suit.

32 ISSUES

Monday, January 12, 2015

Local Government Autonomy (1)

By Dan agBese

No one seems to like the 1999 constitution very much. Not the executive branch; and not the legislature. President Olusegun Obasanjo led the first charge against it soon after he assumed office on May 29, 1999. He decided to review it. Review was an inelegant euphemism for trying to rewrite the country’s supreme law that had not even been tested. As the principal defender of the constitution, he probably believed he had to make some inputs into a sacred document he was obliged to defend. It made some sense.

Obasanjo set up a constitution review committee headed by Yusuf Mamman, our former ambassador to Spain. Yusuf left the committee and Clement Ebri, former governor of Cross River State, stepped in to finish the job. No one knows exactly what became of the report of the review committee. What is known is that the constitution was neither reviewed nor amended on the strength of the report of the review committee.

The obsession with panel beating the constitution into a more fanciful shape has been turned into a national political ambition.

The most determined attempt to

take out all its wrinkles was the joint national assembly committee headed by the then deputy president of the senate, Ibrahim Mantu. The committee did a thorough job. It proposed some 118 amendments.

Our supreme law must be full of wrinkles.

The committee worked amidst well-grounded suspicions that Obasanjo was behind its work and that the primary objective of the amendments was to insert a new clause to give him a third term in office. A groundswell of opposition to the tenure elongation vaporized all the 118 proposed amendments on the floor of the senate. The third term ship foundered on the reef of its proposed clause. Obasanjo did not get his wish. But such was the passion and sentiment against the third term agenda that the baby suffered the same fate as the dirty bath water.

The constitution has not been sitting pretty. In 2010, it suffered the indignity of something called the doctrine of necessity. An amendment was imposed on it in a hurry in a calculated political response to arguably save the presidency from the manipulations of power hungry men and women in the corridors of power.

The national assembly has made

several other attempts since then to amend the constitution. Ours is a country obsessed with the perfect constitution as a democratic ideal.

We have had more constitutions than all the African countries put together. Still our democratic credential rests on pillars of mud.

It is not the constitution, stupid.

As you read this, some fresh proposed amendments are before the state houses of assembly. I do not know the full extent of these proposed amendments. The national assembly never fully let on.

We picked up only bits and pieces in the course of the scrappy debates in the national assembly.

However, two of the proposed amendments stick out like pain where it irritates. One is a proposed autonomy for local governments; the other is the retention of the so-called immunity clause. These two items have featured in almost every roll call for constitutional amendments since 1999. Both excite the public, pro and con, because they have sadly been raised to the status of big national issues.

I have heard good and wellreasoned arguments advanced for local government autonomy.

Apparently, the majority of the state houses of assembly are not persuaded by these reasoned

arguments. Twenty-three of them have thrown out the proposed autonomy. The number is one short of two-thirds – 24 - stipulated by the country for an amendment to pass or fail. Is the proposal fighting for its life? Do not bet on it. We have not heard the last on it. If, and when, the national assembly debates the report of Jonathan’s constitutional conference, the nth in the endless but fruitless search for a perfect constitution, what to do with the local government system will again have its big day in the market square. Keep your fingers crossed.

The proponents of the local government autonomy stand on good grounds that invite some sympathy for their cause. In a fundamental sense, this is not about good governance at the grassroots level. It is about a rescue operation of a battered system that now poorly serves the cause of grassroots development and democracy.

As I see it, the proposal has two important components. The first is to rescue the local government system from the crass illegalities and constitutional breaches perpetrated by most of the state governors. These have a long history going all the way back to

the second republic. Throughout the life of that republic, no state government conducted local government elections because a) many of them were not sure that opposing political parties would not make inroads through the elections and b) the institution of caretaker committees created an avenue for political patronage.

These committees became the third tier in the political reward system.

If you missed being a commissioner or a special adviser, you landed in the coveted chair of the local government chairman.

Nothing has changed since then.

State governors reluctantly conduct local government elections but make sure there is a hiatus of between six months and one year between one local government election and another. The gap is filled with the unconstitutional tenure of caretaker committees. The constitution has no provision for caretaker committees in the three tiers of government.

Just as in the case of federal and state governments, it is the intention of the constitution that towards the end of one local council tenure, an election should be held to either renew the mandate of the characters or else replace them.

– Agbese is former managing director, Newswatch

Monday, January 12, 2015

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Monday, January 12, 2015

ISSUES 35

Monday, January 12, 2015

Presidential Declaration: My Take Away FROM BACK PAGE

economic losses to the country in terms of stolen crude oil.

Answers to allegations of mismanagement of SURE-P funds being used for political objectives and the unresolved kerosene import scandals would perhaps have been helpful.

Instead, Mr. President chose to attack the records of predecessors, many of whom are not seeking reelection.

My take away: Mr. President seems to have forgotten that he is the one seeking re-election and it is his record in the last 4-6 years (not his record as Governor of Bayelsa) that would be helpful to the people in decision making.

In case Mr. President has forgotten, he should ask his aides to provide tapes of the Obama campaign for him.

President Obama rode into office on a massive emotional campaign anchored on change (and that is where the comparison ends) but in the second term bid, the Republicans were most scathing, unrelenting and uncompromising in the public

scrutiny of his first term record.

That is what happens in every democracy. It is not about emotion and last minute allegations of assassinations.

Even after Obama had taken out Bin Laden, who claimed responsibility for a terror attack on America, it took a most passionate presidential convention speech by his Democratic predecessor, President Bill Clinton to defend his record of service and ‘save’ the Obama re-election bid.

Which one of President Jonathan’s predecessors will stand up for his record of service?

As far as the economy was concerned, the president pitched on the size of the Nigerian economy as the largest in Africa.

He was silent on why the citizens of the largest economy in Africa still live in darkness. He was silent on why the football team of the largest economy in Africa will not be at the Nation’s cup, when Cape Verde, the smallest country will be there.

Mr. President, who was addressing young people, would have helped his own case if he had explained to them why Bolaji Abdullahi, a young Sports

Minister, under whose tenure we won the Nations Cup, was removed for political expediency.

I think Mr. President needs to be reminded that as recently as December 2014, citizens of the largest economy in Africa were looking for petrol in jerry cans across Nigerian cities including Abuja.

Instead of revealing the plan for the next four years on the issues which Mr. President chose by himself to address, he sounded angry, and appeared irritated by the demands of his citizens for a better life.

I expect that Mr. President will seek to do better as he promised across the next 35 states and FCT. My take away: A re-election bid is like a job appraisal or interview; the applicant who seeks to serve cannot get angry – Anger is not a strategy.

We the citizens must continue to ask questions.

Mr. President made promises to us in Lagos such as the construction of the road leading to the Murtala Muhammed Airport. He promised stable electricity. He promised to keep us safe. He promised jobs although Nigerian youths died under his

watch while seeking to serve in the immigration service.

Mr. President must show us that these promises have been fulfilled, or he must explain why they were not fulfilled. This is the essence of the social contract in a democracy.

He must show us that he will not lose more parts of Nigeria and that he has a clear plan to reclaim the lost ones and rescue the Chibok girls who fall into the generation of young people he chose to address.

This is the presidential speech I waited for. I am still waiting. Mr. President has 35 more states and the FCT to convince us not to vote for the CHANGE that beckons.

P.S: If you watched the speech given by the APC Vice presidential in Benin City on the same day. Please note that he became candidate only on the 11th of December, 2014? 25 days ago (not 6 years ago) yet he was able in half an hour without a prepared speech to discuss a plan for security, power, jobs, healthcare and social security.

– Fashola is the Lagos State governor.

Is The Pdp In Trouble?

By Akeem Soboyede

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has the word “power” in one of its pithy slogans. Even more, the word is chanted after the party members passionately intonate their party’s name.

“Peeee Deeee Peeee – Power”!

There are certain instant takeaways from this slogan, one positive and the other not-somuch. The first is that members of the party that have dominated Nigeria’s politics at the federal level since 1999, at the advent of the Fourth Republic, love their party – and very much so.

It’s surely a good thing that affection for an otherwiseinanimate grouping of likeminded men and women animates its members that much. What is not that pleasing is that the word “Power” also has to be chanted after the party’s name, as if holding onto office, or the spoils thereof, is the only – or primary – reason for the party’s being.

It is also the case that the “PDP: Power” slogan is most likely a compression of the Mission Statement tucked away in one of the party’s founding documents: “PDP: Power to the People”.

Good. But how come the party’s members, especially those in its higher echelons who hold public office, never remember to retain or include the word “people” when

they chant that slogan?

If the party’s members have no such awareness (most surprisingly), perhaps they are waiting for the people to let them know there is a wind of change blowing over the polity, ahead of the forthcoming presidential elections scheduled for February 14.

The first functional manifestation of this epoch of change became noticeable in August 2013, when seven state governors who were also members of the PDP formed a splinter group of the party, known as the “nPDP” or “new PDP”. Later in November of that same year five of those governors left the PDP entirely and decamped to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

The internal crisis grew worse for the PDP: in December 2013, 37 federal lawmakers from the ruling party crossed over to the opposition APC, dealing a big blow to the comfortable majority in the lower legislative body the party had enjoyed since the restoration of democratic rule in 1999.

Since those defections, the PDP has only managed to retain a razor-thin majority in the lower legislative chamber. But beyond the defections, the portents were more ominous.

It suddenly became clear to millions of Nigerians that there

was more trouble in the ‘House of Power’ than they could have imagined; that the party which had seemed invisible in federal elections since 1999 could be on the ropes, vainly fighting on to hold onto its “power” at the national level.

The icing on this cake of trouble for the PDP came in October last year, when the leader of the lower house of the federal parliament, Aminu Tambuwal, also decamped to the opposition APC. In a somewhat ironic twist, yet another indication of the PDP’s vulnerability in the forthcoming presidential polls is Ayo Fayose’s “insurgent-like” victory in the Ekiti State gubernatorial election which held in June last year.

Almost every serious pundit prior to that election had predicted victory for then-incumbent governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

However the seeming ease with which Fayose floored Fayemi in that polls certainly raised hopes in many quarters across the country that the feat can also be repeated at the federal level, where no incumbent has lost a presidential election, whether directly or “indirectly – as in Olusegun Obasanjo “anointing” and then installing his successor-– since 1999.

The unending conflicts and very public squabbles among the PDP

elite have also clearly not helped the party. This is particularly obvious in the unending battle of wits that has pitted former President Obasanjo against his erstwhile protégé, the incumbent President Jonathan.

This and other “do or die” intraparty conflicts hardly assist to make the PDP’s case for another term at the center of Nigerian power, in both the courts of public and political opinion.

Rather than expend energies on recounting the Jonathan government’s achievements in office (however modest) since it came into power in 2010, government functionaries and aides of the president have occupied themselves with – and have been consumed by – efforts to “contain” Obasanjo and similar high-profile critics within the PDP, transforming such individuals into bigger distractions that a government seeking to win an election with such high stakes can little afford.

It surely does not help Jonathan’s standing among potential voters, especially those in the Southwest part of the country, when he makes a very open allusion to Obasanjo – a former holder of his present office – as a “motor park tout”. Anyone who makes a submission to the contrary is certainly not telling

Jonathan the truth.

In sharp contrast to the obvious disarray in the PDP, the progressive opposition seems to have finally gotten its house in order as it seeks to win the reins at the federal level since democratic rule returned to the country in 1999, after years of military rule. Unlike in previous, similar elections in 2003, 2007 and 2010, the opposition appears to have mainly coalesced in one party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It also appears to have found a sellable standard-bearer in the party’s presidential candidate in retired General Muhammadu Buhari, whose epiphany as a potentially transformative leader imbued with solid democratic principles appears to be as complete as it is true.

Buhari’s recent choice of a distinguished professor of Law and former public office holder as vice-presidential running mate, in the person of Yemi Osinbajo, also gets him points for good judgment and a nuanced understanding of Nigeria’s geo-ethnic and political balancing imperatives.

Does all of this truly mean the PDP is in danger of losing its hold on power at the centre come February 14? The winds of change, blowing in increasing cadences across the country at this time, indicate the answer is “yes”.

36 ISSUES

Monday, January 12, 2015

Philosophy, Humanities And The National Question Dr Tunji Olaopa

On the 16 November, 2014, The Guardian carried my article titled ‘Philosophy and the National Question in Nigeria.’ I wrote that article as a layman’s interrogation of the vocation of philosophy and what I think philosophers ought to be doing about the Nigerian project. I began that article with an anecdotal note about my early and still abiding love for the philosophical enterprise and how I believe that philosophy and philosophers have remained too invisible for too long in the national discourse. I also noted that philosophy, according to Plato, cannot be too silent in national affairs because the philosophers, by reason of the imperative of philosophy, have an active role to play in ensuring social order and national development.

One of my central arguments, therefore, is that contrary to UNESCO’s recognition of the worth of philosophy for ‘the development of human thought, for each culture and for each individual,’ Nigerian philosophers stand indicted for generally failing to insinuate themselves into the Nigerian national context as their most immediate philosophical laboratory that generates issues, problems and concerns.

This same argument also indicts us the policymakers as we seem to buy into the disciplinary fallacy that philosophy and philosophers are not relevant to national development, compared with the sciences.

I considered that these arguments constitute a very simple challenge to the humanities in Nigeria to stand up to the urgent call of relevance. The feedback I have received, largely from core professional philosophers and academics stimulated me to further reflect on the subject matter, hence this piece, which in view of its length, is structured into three parts. Let me first appreciate Mr Jonathan Ifeanyi and Professor Maduabuchi Dukor who both considered my article significant enough to merit some hard-hitting comments and observations. In ‘Ibadan school of classics and the question of relevance’ (Ifeanyi) and ‘Philosophy, more than bread on table’ (Dukor), both in their various concerns identified what they considered not up to par in my indictment of philosophy and the humanities. Both of them also had some insinuations about my being a layman. Unfortunately, I found Ifeanyi’s intervention on behalf of Classics more enlightening than Prof. Dukor’s. I suspect that Prof. Dukor just confirmed my fear that Nigerian philosophers are not public-friendly especially when they hide behind some kind of highfalutin ‘philosophese’ that ordinary laymen find difficult to follow.

For the professor, ‘(Olaopa) has

interpreted philosophy upside down hence our task is to…stand philosophy and its praxis erect.’ He then went on, by a far stretch of unfair and unjustifiable parameter, to compare my interrogation of the relevance of philosophy to David Hume’s infamous denigration of the Black race and the eventual colonisation of Africa. This comment is interesting for me especially coming from a Professor of Philosophy who: (a) consistently speaks about ‘philosophy and praxis; and (b) equally laments, from the beginning of his response to my article, the government’s lukewarm attitude to the ‘celebration of wisdom and its pristine praxis.’

Furthermore, Prof. Dukor also calls attention, funny enough, to the ‘poverty of philosophy’ in Nigeria. He then calls on Nigerians, who operate largely behind what he called the ‘veil of ignorance,’ to ‘read more of Plato’s Republic for national transformation agenda, for reflective and critical approach to issues of religious and ethnic matters, for transcendental apperception of leadership rather than the hitherto narrow and circular leadership syndrome.’

On his own, Ifeanyi’s worry also hinges on the issue of relevance, and particularly that of Classics, his first degree discipline. One good pointer about Ifeanyi’s response is that he said my queries about philosophy also echo his especially about Classics and the humanities in general. But then he attempts to draw a significant lesson from an interview he had with a professor of Classics many years ago about the relevance (or irrelevance) of Classics and the humanities. That lesson came at the end of his article: Finally, the motto of Classics Department in the premier university reads: “viverecogitare est”—meaning “to think is to live.”

As I pondered over this, I reasoned that the question of relevance of courses in the humanities, and especially classics, comes to many only because they “think” to live instead of living to think. But I have also observed that learned people don’t ask such a question at all.

Learned people do not ask the question of relevance? That is very strange! Robert Heilbroner, the US economist, notes that ‘Less and less are we able to locate our lives meaningfully in the pageant of history.

More and more do we find ourselves retreating to the sanctuary of an insulated individualism, sealed off in our private concerns from the larger events which surround us.’ It is so easy to see how Ifeanyi rejoiced in Professor Tatum’s outline of classical studies but it seems to me that he fails to see the import of the professor’s point. Or maybe he saw it but didn’t know what implication to draw from it.

– Olaopa is permanent secretary Federal Ministry of Communication Technology, Abuja

Governor Wamakko Vindicated

By Abdullahi Usman

Nigerian philosophers stand indicted for generally failing to insinuate themselves into the Nigerian national context as their most immediate philosophical laboratory that generates issues, problems and concerns

The Nigerian political landscape is now active with frenzy of campaigns leading up to next month’s elections. Two political parties, All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominate the jostling to capture voters’ attention. The voters are citizens of Nigeria whose fate is at stake. Since 1999 when the country returned to democratic dispensation PDP has remained at the saddle of power. Power appurtenances enabled the party to swallow or destabilize other parties to maintain absolute power. And like Lord Akton observed that absolute now tends to corrupt absolutely.

This has metamorphosed to that level where dictatorship assumed unprecedented proportion.

The death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua suddenly opened up the rumps of PDP. There emerged power vacuum that threw opportunists into power game.

Completion of Yar’Adua’s tenure was well managed by eminent Nigerians that were determined to sustain the sacrifice of our past heroes for a vibrant, virile and great country; a country of hope for every black man. Though in cognizance of rotational arrangement the power vacuum as a result of the demise of late President Yar’Adua placed a disadvantage against the geographical zone he represented. Compromise was reached to allow constitutional procedure to supersede every other consideration to maintain status quo in order of succession for the Vice President to complete PDP presidency as party that won the 2007 general elections.

However, the confusion once again arose when it came to issues of 2011 general elections.

The same eminent Nigerians rallied to douse the tensions on a gentleman agreement of just one term that would give President Jonathan a total of six years in office. It was a firm commitment as chronicled in video clippings from his speeches from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and within Nigeria with commendations at Eagle Square, Abuja by former president Obasanjo.

Personalities like Governors Aliyu Wamakko, Sokoto State, Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako were tireless in concerted efforts to broker understanding with northern stakeholders to support President Jonathan for the 2011 election.

These gentlemen drew odium from their people for what they saw as betrayal. But their efforts were seen in wider spectrum as a means to peaceful resolution of constitutional crisis that Nigeria suddenly got entangled. The country eventually smarted out of it. These gentlemen succeeded as patriots. However, events soon unfolded in bitter and unpalatable reciprocation where PDP leadership

resorted to antics of use and dump. It reached climax under the chairmanship of Bamanga Tukur.

Reform is desirable process to keep a system in tune with current realities. These realities emanated from the pulse of the grassroots which recurred with public opinion of the electorate at the baseline. Frequently, the governors of PDP nudged the national headquarters to listen and reason in the interest of the party and country. Governor Wamakko was an active mover in the voices for reform. But he became a target of vilification, orchestrated by some PDP members from Sokoto State that found permanent abode in Abuja. They are still the spoilers in Sokoto State structure of the party.

They seemed more inclined towards their personal ambitions than welfare of the masses. In fact that character reflected in the travails of other patriotic governors. In spite of their effrontery the governors continued to work towards amicable resolutions of issues. The national headquarters sabotaged these efforts at every stage. The presidency fed with enormous false insinuations was aloof and arrogant to address issues in the interest of the country.

Expectedly, the alternative became abandoning the unwilling horse for a movable one ready to continue the race to rescue Nigerians from downward slide into poverty and continuous carnage. APC emerged as a national formidable party for realization of that mission. It should not be surprising that the hitherto amorphous size of PDP has resulted into degeneration to complacency towards the plight of the masses.

Unfortunately, parochial sentiments are now the sing song of the party to harangue Nigerians into deceptive promises of fixing the economy at the expense of innocuous shrinking opportunities.

A few days ago the national chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mua’azu, ruefully alerted President Jonathan on imminent collapse of the party due to what he called use and dump policy of the party. And that is exactly what caused the massive desertion of personalities from PDP to other parties. The present chairman of PDP made the very observation Alhaji Bamanga Tukur shunned from those patriots now in APC. They are vindicated. It is the carelessness that has plunged Nigeria into a rudderless state.

The current situation has blossomed into general negligence to provide security for the citizens, ubiquitous uncertainties, unemployment, economic disarray and huge corruption nurtured and sustained by sycophants of the administration that position as perpetual beneficiaries of the common wealth. Their faces manifested in donations towards bankrolling PDP campaigns.

– Kabir Hassan, North-West Coalition of Professional Patriots, No 87 Western By-pass, Sokoto

These realities emanated from the pulse of the grassroots which recurred with public opinion of the electorate at the baseline